Anniversary Digs: Long Beach 2 Fillmoe, The Commi$$ioner and The Wake

Today at Blackout, we’re looking back at three albums released on this date, January 16th. These aren’t necessarily world-changing records, but they each represent a specific corner of the underground that deserves a mention.

Daz Dillinger & JT the Bigga Figga – Long Beach 2 Fillmoe 25 years ago today, in 2001, we got this collaboration between Long Beach and San Francisco. Daz Dillinger and JT the Bigga Figga delivered exactly what you’d expect on “Long Beach 2 Fillmoe”: raw West Coast sound without the polish. It didn’t reinvent the wheel, but it showcased solid chemistry between G-Funk and the Bay Area mobb scene. Tracks like “Game to Be Sold” remain decent examples of that era’s grit.

Kool Keith – The Commi$$ioner Back in 2006, Kool Keith was in a hyper-productive state, and “The Comi$$ioner” was one of the results. Interestingly, you won’t find this album on most official Wikipedia lists, largely due to Keith’s chaotic habit of dropping projects on small independent labels. However, for those who follow his work, it’s a solid “street album” filled with his signature abstract humor. It’s not for everyone, but it’s an essential piece of his massive discography.

Solomon Childs – The Wake Also in 2006, Wu-Tang affiliate Solomon Childs released “The Wake”. Solomon has always been a consistent presence around the Clan, and this project carries that familiar Staten Island intensity. It’s dark, lyrically dense, and strictly for the hard-core underground fans. “The Wake” doesn’t try to be anything it isn’t, serving as a reminder of how deep the Wu-Tang scene ran in the mid-2000s.