Search - DJ Quik :: Truama

Solid Album With A Little Help From Friends

Dorrie Wheeler | 10/01/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"With little fanfare DJ Quik's latest album "Trauma" has arrived. The album didn't receive a lot of pre-release hype and the project seems to have bounced from label to label (Warner sent me an early press release in May, then later I was contacted by Capital), but the project seems to have found a home on Quik's Mad Scientist label.



As an avid Quik fan the first thing I noticed about "Trauma" is the number of features from people outside of his regular little clique (Suga Free, Mauseburg (who has passed but you know with hip-hop people can get on tracks as we are still hearing new music from B.I.G.), Second II None, El Debarge).



Quick seems to have stretched this go round and it works really well. The song "Get Down" featuring Chingy is a hot song which could have easily been a radio single. Wyclef Jean shows off a new side of his lyrical style on the song "Ladies & Thugs." Other hot tracks include "Indiscretions In The Back of a Limo" featuring T.I. and "Pacific Coast Remix" featuring Ludacris.



The album opens up with the skit doctors office which is followed by "Intro For Roger." This song features a nice little beat. Quik's lyrics though make one reflect, especially the line, "My best friend is dead, my heart is a stone." Quik has gone through a lot of stuff as far as dealing with the loss of friends to the streets and one can assume failed relationships based on his lyrics. He doesn't hold back lyrically and seems to express himself quite well. The track for the first single "Fandago" is crazy wild but I wasn't as impressed with the lyrics as I was the beat/track. The song "Get Up" featuring The Game and long time collaborater AMG is a really good song.



Another thing different about this album is "Quiks Groove," features vocals. Quik managed to get Jodeci on the track.



Overall Quik hasn't changed that much. He still produces these mellow laid back hip-hop albums with that classic funk song. Almost 15 years since his debut, DJ Quik is still "Way 2 Fonky" and most Quik fans will appreciate this album. I really enjoyed this album and days after listening to it certain tracks were still in my head, especially "Get Up," "Get Down," and "Indiscretions.""

Quik did it again, with another classic record!

Philip Y. | Israel | 10/28/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Well, after a wait of 3 years (during which we heard some retirement rumours from Quik), DJ Quik, the greatest producer in the game is back!! "Trauma" is Quik's 7th album, and it's almost 15 years since the relaese of his classic "Quik is the Name". Now, on "Trauma", Quik gave us another classic, and to me, it's the best album he's had since "Rhythm-al-ism" in 1998. Don't get me wrong "Under Tha Influence" and "Ballance & Options" were both 5 star classics, but this one has the same consistency as "Rhytmalism". Trauma is just a PERFECT album, with every single song being amazing, different, and coherent with the album. To me, Quik is the best producer on the West Coast, and in the rap game, period!... The man is a genius. His sound is so RICH, so melodical, so MUSICAL. You actually get to hear LIVE instruments, instead of samples or monotonic repetitive beats! Quik always innovates, never duplicates and he changes his style a bit on every single album. As far as rapping is conerned, it seems Quik just gets better with each album. He always was a GREAT rapper, and on Trauma he drops some of his best verses ever. You know he always had that sense of humor, but it's more than that. Quik is a mature cat, and on this album, he really gets much more PERSONAL - quite a few songs deal with things Quik has been through in the last few years (the industry, the trouble with his familly, growing up in Compton, the death of Mauberg and Roger Troutman, beefing with some members of his crew - especially Suga Free, and many other personal issues). So, on this one, you really get to know Quik a lot better. Quik doesn't necessarily spit the biggest words in the dictionary, but he does combine the words he uses together in clever and visually evocative ways. Quik is also a lyricist who is not hung up on rhyming every single line, willing to rhyme three times in two lines and then flip assonance for several lines or not even use a rhyme at all if it would get in the way of making an impactful point lyrically Other than the album being personal, it's mostly about making you feel good. Most of it is laid-back and mellow. As other Quik albums you get a lot of top-notch guests, including : B-Real, T.I., The Game (coming out with another mediocre verse, mentioning as usual Dr. Dre and 2Pac), Wyclef Jean (a GREAT performance by him on the song), Nate Dogg (doing the best singing you've heard from him in the last 10 years), Jodecci, Ludacris, Chingy (who actually soung very good on the song "Get Down".). And of course you can't have a Quik album, without AMG being on it! AMG is the only one that's on 2 songs, and he's his usual dope self... Quik isn't messing with Suga Free (Quik called him a "dope addict" on an interview he did, and he also said "Fu** Suga Free) since he feels Suga Free and some of his former partners aren't that serious about their work as he is...Anyway, you get another perfect album by the Compton legend. Too bad it's less than 45 minutes long, but hey - it's short and sweet, and you'll never skip a song! Unfortunately, "Trauma" won't get him the attention and sales he deserves, but I guess Quik is used to that already... Real fans should hope this genius doesn't quit, and keeps releasing those Way too funky albums (pun intended)!"

For Those Who Really Know DJ Quik

Michael Jones | 41510 | 09/19/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"As a DJ Quik fan from Quik is the Name, this album represents the growth and development as a producer and artist that Quik always talks about in interviews. This album is the continuation of the creativity and expression shown on Rhythmalism, and is without question one of the best DJ Quik albums ever. Although Quik's sound has changed since his heavily sample driven days on Quik is the Name and Way 2 Fonky, the live instrumentation and true Funk sound are giant steps forward.



This is the Quik album that I really hope does well and finally places him squarely in the conversations of hip-hop heads and casual fans alike, regarding great producers (both old and new)- right there with Dre ,Primo, Timbaland and the Neptunes.



As a musical opus you are not going to find anything on the shelves that is the quality of production of this album (and that includes Kanye and everyone else you can think of). And the guest appearances, as mentioned by other reviewers, are some of the artists' best works, with T.I. and Ludacris making outstanding appearances.



For those who don't know DJ Quik and his pedigree, this is a great starting to point to get to know his work. And for those who are familiar with what the Quikster can do, this belongs in your collection."