The Hillside Scramblers a fost fondat de U-God de la Wu-Tang Clan și are 11 membri: Autumn Rue, Black Ice, DJ Homicide, Desert Eagle, Frank Banger, Inf-Black, Ja-Mal, Kawz, King-Just, Letha Face și Ugodz-Illa de la Wu-tang Clan.
It was bound to happen to them at some point. Recently, The Wu-Tang Clan has become a topic of conversation amongst hip-hop fans as to whether the crew will ever release another album. Ostensibly, tension and disrespect has surfaced between two members of the elite clan: Rza and U-God. Rza, famous for being the clan's visionary samurai, has been accused of enslaving U-God (one of the clans' original members) by giving him inadequate exposure. In turn, U-God has declined to be involved with the clan in the future and has embarked on a mission to create his own group of unified hip-hop soldiers. The result is Ugodz-illa's debut album, Ugodz-Illa Presents: The Hillside Scramblers.
Firstly, The Hillside Scramblers are definitely not the Wu-Tang Clan, but U-God claims that this project is not an attempt at resurrecting a crew like the Wu. Much like U-God's solo debut, Golden Arms Redemption, Ugodz-Illa is crisp and clear (with the help of producer DJ Homicide) and is filled with ample bass-thumping, futuristic organ drones, and straightforward drum programming. Never straying away from simplistic musical craftsmanship (which can be learned from many Wu producers like 4th Disciple and Mathematics), U-God and his crew conjured many repetitive elements that have been created by other Wu members or affiliates. There is nothing shockingly new on this album, yet that is exactly what each fan should conclude prior to purchasing this record. U-God's involvement with the Clan was seldom and unconvincing on many occasions.
Although some of his work did make an impression (like on "Black Shampoo" from Wu-Tang Forever), most of his work left fans wondering if his involvement was necessary at all. Ugodz-Illa clearly showcases where U-God reached his plateau (with the Wu) and does not leave the listener feeling completely satisfied with his stagnant and unimpressive musical direction. And although he is the only individual on this project worthy of praise and recognition, the complete package becomes another record filled with generic reproduction of work that has been done over and over in the past by other tribes like Killarmy, Black Knights, etc.
Consequently, Ugodz-Illa Presents: The Hillside Scramblers is for collectors only. If you have been a fan in the past of U-God's work, this album should satisfy your curiosity. But if you're indifferent to U-God's work, this album won't do anything but reaffirm your indifference. As for U-God's future, it's safe to say that his involvement with the Wu-Tang Clan may never occur again. But will anyone really notice?https://www.tinymixtapes.com/music-review/ugodz-illa-ugodz-illa-presents-hillside-scramblers
Originally a member of the cult hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan, U-God, renounced further work in the group due to disagreements with its leader RZA, which led to the creation of the Hillside Scramblers project. He recruited Wu-Tang affiliated Shaolin Soldiers members Leathafase (who participated in U-God's 1999 solo debut Golden Arms Redemption) and King Just, producer DJ Homicide and seven other aspiring rappers. U-God claimed that the project is not an attempt at resurrecting a crew like the Wu-Tang. UGodz-Illa Presents: The Hillside Scramblers was met with mixed or average reviews from music critics, who panned the album because they believed that it did not completely satisfy the listeners. AllMusic gave the album three-and-a-half stars out of five. Steve 'Flash' Juon of RapReviews complained that the words were mostly clichéd and the beats were similar to U-God's Golden Arms Redemption tracks. Wolfman of Tiny Mix Tapes labeled it as "for collectors only", resuming: "if you're indifferent to U-God's work, this album won't do anything but reaffirm your indifference".
You already know him as a founding member of the Wu-Tang Clan. If you’re enough a diehard fan, you might have even copped his 1999 solo album “Golden Arms Redemption.” Unfortunately for the God, already fighting a widely accepted strike against him that he was the Wu’s “weak link,” it came far too late considering RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon the Chef, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, Ghostface Killah and a slew of second tier Wu-affiliated MC’s from Cappadonna to Shyheim the Rugged Child all came first. Even Inspectah Deck’s long overdue debut “Uncontrolled Substance” debut made it out exactly one month ahead of U-God’s album.
To an already wary hip-hop public, this just cemented the idea that U-God came last because he was the Wu’s least worthy, and for better or worse the album flopped HARD (although his press kit bio still claims it moved 200,000 units). To say this caused tension between U and the Wu is an understatement. In fact, as of the writing of this review, U-God considers himself to have parted ways with the Clan and struck out on his own. To that end, “UGodz-Illa” isn’t a U-God album per se, even though he is still the frontman and dominant star of the project. Instead it’s U-God’s way to introduce us to his NEW running crew, a group of thirsty up-and-comers he dubs the Hillside Scramblers.
Before you get the wrong idea, it’s not that U-God is suggesting these MC’s are replacements for the Wu-Tang Clan. In fact, most of these rappers sound little if anything like Wu members. Inf-Black’s “Stick Up” sounds so much like a Mobb Deep track, you’ll be checking to see if Havoc or Prodigy guested on it or produced the beat. They don’t of course, but Inf and beat maestro Letha Face sure had me fooled, and that’s a good thing. Letha Face himself goes for dolo on the DJ Homicide produced “Booty Drop,” but should probably stick to playing the background. His words are nothing more than party rhyme cliches, and the beat sounds like some of U-God’s “Golden Arms” solo tracks – that’s NOT a good thing.
Actually that’s not really being fair to the God at all. Despite his penchant in the past for delivering bizarre stream-of-conciousness raps over equally unusual bats when left to his own devices, he does turn in some of this album’s best performances. In fact his solo song “Lean Like Me” does sound like a vintage Wu-Tang Clan track, one of the few contributions that does. While there are no trademark martial arts samples or buzzing bees, it’s hard to deny that it’s got that RZA sound or that U-God is using his quirky, almost monotonal at times flow to it’s full effect here:
“It’s showtime baby, when it comes it comes
I come down crashin like a hundred tons
Run sound through you if you want it grunge
Soak up the lyric like a human sponge
Slow down baby don’t jump the gun
Song sound crazy when you pump the drums
Ones in my pockets, gators have ostrich
Style created by the 36 monsters
Sponsors in the building, franchise the concerts
Snatch more than skirts, watch the Don work
Go bezerk, tear off your shirt
The scenery is V.I.P., you can’t lean like me”U-God, or if you prefer UGodz-Illa, is often this album’s savior when it would otherwise deviate into whackness. “Spit Game” has a mediocre electronic beat, a generic female singer named Autumn Rue, and an otherwise nice verse from Inf-Black that sounds totally out of place on this track. Were it not for the God opening the song, there’s be no reason to listen to it. The same can be said of several other tracks featuring different Hillside Scramblers paired with U-God, such as “Ghetto Gutter” and “Prayer” among others. Out of the many Scramblers, Inf-Black is clearly the one poised to take it to the next level, but is held back by the overall uninteresting work of the rest. If you do pick this album up be sure to skip mediocre songs like “Tell Me” and “Gang of Gangstas” (a terrible title and an even hokier hook). Instead focus on the nuggets of dopeness that come between them, like the surprisingly grimy Southern triple styled “Chippin & Chop It” (shades of Tech N9ne here), the aptly titled “Drama” and the long lost King Just’s solo track “KJ Rhyme.” On the whole it’s hard to get a handle on these “Hillside Scramblers” though, or the point U-God was really trying to make. If he was trying to assemble a crew to make him look like the strong link instead of the weak link, he largely succeeded. If he was trying to showcase a group of talent with ambitions of making them the next big thing, he largely failed. The entire album is therefore hit or miss, recommended for U-God fans (however few or many there are) but unessential for everyone else. https://www.rapreviews.com/2004/03/u-god-ugodz-illa-presents-the-hillside-scramblers/
Personnel
- Lamont "U-God" Hawkins – performer (tracks: 2, 3, 7, 9–12, 14–18), executive producer, sleeve notes
- Lamar "Black Ice" Manson – performer (tracks: 2, 14)
- Orlando "Leatha Face" Irizarry – performer (tracks: 2, 4, 6, 8, 9, 11, 17), producer (tracks: 3–7, 9–14, 17, 18)
- Inf-Black – performer (tracks: 4–7, 9, 11, 12, 14, 17)
- Desert Eagle – performer (tracks: 6, 12, 14)
- Michael "Kawz" Kawse – performer (tracks: 7, 11)
- Autumn Rue – performer (tracks: 9, 10, 15, 18)
- Adrian "King Just" Angevin – performer (tracks: 12, 13)
- Frank Banger – performer (track 14)
- Ja-Mal – performer (track 14)
- Anthony "DJ Homicide" Mercado – producer (tracks: 8, 16)
- Que Tracks – producer (track 1)
- Six Mill – producer (track 2)
- Mark Alston – producer (track 15)
- Nick Jackson – design, layout
Track listing
| No. | Title | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Intro" | Que Tracks | 0:42 |
| 2. | "Pain Inside" (performed by U-God, Black Ice and Leathaface) | Six Mill | 4:10 |
| 3. | "Lean Like Me" (performed by U-God) | Leathaface | 4:02 |
| 4. | "Destiny" (performed by Leathaface and Inf-Black) | Leathaface | 4:26 |
| 5. | "Stick Up" (performed by Inf-Black) | Leathaface | 4:21 |
| 6. | "Tell Me" (performed by Desert Eagle, Leathaface and Inf-Black) | Leathaface | 3:51 |
| 7. | "Chippin & Chop It" (performed by U-God, Inf-Black and Kawz) | Leathaface | 4:05 |
| 8. | "Booty Drop" (performed by Leathaface) | DJ Homicide | 3:42 |
| 9. | "Spit Game" (performed by U-God, Inf-Black, Leathaface and Autumn Rue) | Leathaface | 4:01 |
| 10. | "Ghetto Gutter" (performed by U-God and Autumn Rue) | Leathaface | 3:35 |
| 11. | "Drama" (performed by Leathaface, Inf-Black, Kawz and U-God) | Leathaface | 4:16 |
| 12. | "Take It to the Top" (performed by Desert Eagle, U-God, Inf-Black and King Just) | Leathaface | 5:34 |
| 13. | "KJ Rhyme" (performed by King Just) | Leathaface | 4:28 |
| 14. | "Gang of Gangstas" (performed by Black Ice, Desert Eagle, U-God, Inf-Black, Frank Banger and Ja-Mal) | Leathaface | 6:46 |
| 15. | "Put It on Me" (performed by U-God and Autumn Rue) | Mark Alston | 3:46 |
| 16. | "Struggle Ain't Got No Color" (performed by U-God) | DJ Homicide | 4:05 |
| 17. | "Here We Come" (performed by U-God, Inf-Black and Leathaface) | Leathaface | 3:27 |
| 18. | "Prayer" (performed by U-God and Autumn Rue) | Leathaface | 4:08 |
| Total length: | 1:13:25 | ||