Souls Of Mischief: 93 Til Infinity 20th Anniversary CD Boxset

The good folks at Get On Down have once again gone the extra mile! Just take a look at this boxset and tell me they haven't. If there ever was a defining moment in Oakland's contribution to Golden Era hip hop 93 Til Infinity has got to be it. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Souls Of Mischief's debut Get On Down has dropped a special edition 2 CD boxset that includes a CD of tracks from the singles that Jive released at the time in support of the album (8 never before on CD, including exclusive "93 'til Infinity" a capella which has not been previously released in any format). Beyond the extra tracks they've also included a 36 page hardcover book of liner notes comprised of images and group interviews by Eric Arnold (from 2013) and Joseph "Jazzbo" Patel (from 1993). It all comes housed in unique CD casebook that plays the song "93 'til Infinity" when the cover is opened. And just to sweeten the deal even more the Hiero Light Box outer case's iconic third-eye logo glows in radiant neon blue when the hidden button is pushed! Here's what the mgmnt had to say when we first started stocking this landmark release: A daunting task reviewing this record, but here's a try. Not to get all textbook, but 93 Til Infinity is one of finest embodiments of youthful expression. This is the Lebron of hip hop records, a young prize pit bull on a chain link leash. Somehow on this album the producers were able to harness the complete wildness of Souls into 14 coherent hip-hop classics. It's what separates NBA from And 1. Ever hear an early Hiero freestyle? It's one of the baddest things on earth, but freestyles don't make a classic record (just axe Supernat). There was magic in the studio, and it's fitting that the Souls give it up to this magic in the albums title track. "Anything Can Happen" rivals a young Nas in vivid storytelling, but Nas didn't have to coordinate 4 separate voices. That's finesse, and "That's When Ya Lost" is straight fire. Combine "Lost" with "Let Em Know" and "Live and Let Live" and you have one of the most dynamic openings since, hmm... Midnight Marauders? For kicks, throw in equinox apocalypse Del on a track like "Limitations" and see how wild it can get. This review is starting to get sporadically hectic, precisely the opposite of what the Souls did on this one. Recommended.

• Also available on on double vinyl
• music label: Get On Down 2014

reviewed by Kool Moby 03/2014