Chronic Jointz: The Hitz, Vol. 1 [PA]

Performer: Various Artists
Producer: Jonathan P. Fine (Compilation)
Distributor: E1 Distribution (USA)

Notes: Performers include: Cypress Hill, St. Lunatics, Trick Daddy, Three 6 Mafia, Noreaga, The Luniz, The Pharcyde, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Xzibit, Tone-Loc, Crucial Conflict, Keith Murray, KRS One. Audio Remasterer: Drew Lavyne. Liner Note Author: Jonathan P. Fine. Illustrator: Spazz. According to compilation producer/former A&R guy Jonathan P. Fine's liner notes, "Marijuana heightens the appreciation of music. And no music is better to appreciate with a big blunt blazin' than hip-hop." This claim is no doubt debatable -- many would argue that dub-reggae or perhaps ambient techno sounds better with the chronic; others, the Grateful Dead or, perhaps, Pink Floyd. Yet one thing is clear: A lot of rap artists write songs about smoking marijuana. And Chronic Jointz compiles many of those songs, beginning with Tone-Loc's "Cheeba-Cheeba," originally released in 1987 at a time when, according to Fine, "some rappers, like Grandmaster Flash & the Furious Five -- "White Lines (Don't Don't Do It)" -- were protesting the use of drugs." However, as Fine notably points out, "Of course, rap aficionados know pot's not a drug, so as time passed, and people became more educated, attitudes like Loc's became the norm." And indeed they did, as the following songs no doubt illustrate. Three of the most well-known get-high-to songs follow: Cypress Hill's "Hits From the Bong," the Pharcyde's "Pack the Pipe," and the Luniz's "I Got 5 on It." From there, Chronic Jointz compiles a variety of chronic-smoking songs, though it's almost seems blasphemous to not have a Dr. Dre or Snoop Dogg song here; after all, they're the ones that made "chronic" a noun rather than an adjective. Regardless, Chronic Jointz is somewhat of a fun novelty, more noteworthy perhaps in concept than execution. ~ Jason Birchmeier

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