Saturday Sample Sessions 007: Alana Davis – Murder

Alana Davis, daughter of Jazz Pianist Walter Davis Jr., scored a recording deal with recently revived Elektra Records back in 97 and while most Pop aficionados will easily remember the album’s standouts “Crazy” and her superb cover of Ani DiFranco‘s “32 Flavors“, it was track two from her Blame It On Me album that Hip-Hop became most familiar with in 1999 via Jay-Z’s use of it for arguably one of his most underrated and introspective tracks since “Lucky Me“.

Alana Davis – Murder
[audio:http://dl.dropbox.com/u/625065/Saturday%20Sample%20Sessions/Alana%20Davis%20-%20Murder.mp3]

There’s a bleeder in my kitchen and he’s pouring on the floor
There’s a killer in my hallway, and he’s scratching at my door
I think I might have heard some screaming
I might have heard somebody cry
Now I wonder am I dreaming or is my mind telling me a lie
Well I can’t run any further and I can’t hide anymore
And I think there’s been a murder up on the ground floor

Davis’ track showcases not only her lithe vocals but also her uncanny writing abilities as she perfectly captures the smallest details within a schizophrenic episode. Little did she know that the refrain from her swan song of paranoia would get lifted by Russell “Russ” Howard & Sean “SAF” Francis and coupled with audio from the movie Set It Off.

While browsing through one of my Hard Drives I came across my Jay-Z folder, where I’ve housed his entire discography (even the albums I didn’t like) just for the purposes of being able to say I had quality lossless copies of it all.  The album that this track resides on (Vol. 3… Life and Times of S. Carter) runs a close second as one of my least favorites of Hov’s, Blueprint 3 being first on the list.

Not as commercial viable as it’s Vol 2. predecessor, Vol. 3 was Jay’s attempt to gain back and re-solidify his street cred after the crossover success he garnered with “Hard Knock Life“, admittedly it did have several bright spots such as the Primo produced “So Ghetto“, the Beanie Sigel assisted “Do It Again” and the “Khusara Khusara” and Korgis sampling mega hit “Big Pimpin’” with UGK.

Jay-Z – There’s Been A Murder
[audio:http://dl.dropbox.com/u/625065/Saturday%20Sample%20Sessions/Jay-Z%20-%20There’s%20Been%20A%20Murder.mp3]

See my life is like a see-saw and until I move this weight it’s gonna keep me to the floor / Travel with me through my deep thoughts, y’all can’t learn Jigga by the shit y’all be readin’ in The Source, It’s deeper of course / Follow the life of this reckless minor, at sixteen in the 600, unlicensed driver / Playin’, Cops and Robbers, like shots can’t stop us, flippin’ a bird to the choppers, buck-thirty on the turns / Reckless abandon, when I’m standin’ on this pedal, hand on my metal, minus all this time they tryin’ to give me / Lord help me, all I ever wanted to be was wealthy or somebody to tell me that they felt me / I tried to play the hand you dealt me but you gave me five funnies an’ shit I was hungry, I needed menage money / Nothin’ less than a 520 and with that said back to Shawn Carter the hustler / Jay-Z is *BLAM*

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