Soundpieces: Da Antidote – Lootpack (Album 1999) [Mitch Nick’s Picks]

Soundpieces: Da Antidote is an essential album for any underground hip hop fan and I would say is one of the cornerstones of underground hip hop. When it was released in 1999, hip-hop music was the top selling music genre in the United States. Madlib, Wildchild and DJ Rome answered this fact by releasing an extremely unique album that focuses on lyricism, style and being true to hip hop. After all, it is Lootpack – the group that rock fresh. Overall, the rhymes are smooth throughout the album. A lot of it is like Wildchild is talking to you over dusty sounds from Madlib’s extensive crate digging.

The group formed in high school in Oxnard, California and with a couple notable releases at the time they eventually got picked up by Stones Throw Records. This lead to the creation and release of Soundpieces: Da Antidote. Part of the reason why I like this album, aside from the rhymes and beats, is because with the skits and different sound elements it really feels like a whole listening experience when played from front to back. Da Antidote, in particular, I think really encapsulates the cover art in sound format. You really can imagine coming down from the sky in those blue suits to provide a bit of authenticity in the hip hop scene.

My favorite songs on the album would be “Whenimondamic”, “Long Awaited”, “Answers”, and “Likwit Fusion”. The track that I think takes the cake, even though I might not totally agree with the theme, would be “Weededed”. The beat on “Weededed” is by far my favorite on the whole album with that awesome bass line. Wildchild unlocks styles like locksmiths. “Answers” is also a unique track which sounded familiar due to the fact that Asher Roth rapped over it on his Seared Foie Gras w/ Quince and Cranberry mixtape.

Anyway, if you’re at all interested in underground hip-hop then you have to check out Soundpieces: Da Antidote and give it a listen all the way through.