Beat Cartel: Sadat X Explains Artistic Direction Of “Wild Cowboys II”

by Paul W Arnold

His distinctive nasal-voiced verbals have been blessing Hip Hop listener’s ears for over two decades, first as one-third of the standout socially-conscious crew Brand Nubian, and subsequently as a noteworthy solo artist in his own right. And it’s Sadat X’s solo career that he is retracing back to its roots with the release of Wild Cowboys II.

Due first on February 23rd as a five-song vinyl EP (plus digital download card), with a full 16-track digital and physical LP dropping exactly one month later on March 23rd, Wild Cowboys II marks the release of Sadat’s third album in the three years since he was released from Rikers Island after a year-long stint for felony gun possession.

Now following last year’s Brand New Bein’ and 2008’s Will Tell-helmed Generation X, Sadat has recruited a smorgasbord of sonic suppliers for the sequel to his 1996 solo debut, including new heat providers (9th Wonder, Sir Jinx, Nick Wiz), more recent producers (Will Tell, DJ Spinna), and a few of the elite beatmakers (Buckwild, Diamond D, Pete Rock, Minnesota) that helped to make Sadat’s first LP one of the more notable boom-bap efforts of the mid-‘90s.

During a quick convo with HipHopDX late Wednesday (February 3rd) Sadat provided a sneak peak into the sound and subject matter for Wild Cowboys II, as well as gave an update on his post-prison personal standing.

HipHopDX: I gotta start off by asking you how much influence Raekwon’s Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...Pt. II, and the recent announcements of AZ’s plans to release Doe Or Die 2 and Capone-N-Noreaga’s plans to drops a sequel to The War Report, had on your decision to come with Wild Cowboys II?
Sadat X: Well, it didn’t really have any influence, ‘cause I was gon’ do what I was gon’ do regardless. I’m just glad to see that they coming with joints. And I love [Raekwon’s] [Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...Pt. II]. But as far as they albums giving me any influence, not at all, I’ma do what I do.

DX: Yeah it should be noted that on “The Interview” [from the original Wild Cowboys] you said the sequel was coming that next year. [Laughs].
Sadat X: Oh yeah, no question, it took me a minute but it's here.

Artistic Direction Of “Wild Cowboys II”
DX
News
Sadat X Explains Artistic Direction Of “Wild Cowboys II”
February 05, 2010 10:02:00 AM CST | by Paul W Arnold
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His distinctive nasal-voiced verbals have been blessing Hip Hop listener’s ears for over two decades, first as one-third of the standout socially-conscious crew Brand Nubian, and subsequently as a noteworthy solo artist in his own right. And it’s Sadat X’s solo career that he is retracing back to its roots with the release of Wild Cowboys II.

Due first on February 23rd as a five-song vinyl EP (plus digital download card), with a full 16-track digital and physical LP dropping exactly one month later on March 23rd, Wild Cowboys II marks the release of Sadat’s third album in the three years since he was released from Rikers Island after a year-long stint for felony gun possession.

Now following last year’s Brand New Bein’ and 2008’s Will Tell-helmed Generation X, Sadat has recruited a smorgasbord of sonic suppliers for the sequel to his 1996 solo debut, including new heat providers (9th Wonder, Sir Jinx, Nick Wiz), more recent producers (Will Tell, DJ Spinna), and a few of the elite beatmakers (Buckwild, Diamond D, Pete Rock, Minnesota) that helped to make Sadat’s first LP one of the more notable boom-bap efforts of the mid-‘90s.

During a quick convo with HipHopDX late Wednesday (February 3rd) Sadat provided a sneak peak into the sound and subject matter for Wild Cowboys II, as well as gave an update on his post-prison personal standing.

HipHopDX: I gotta start off by asking you how much influence Raekwon’s Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...Pt. II, and the recent announcements of AZ’s plans to release Doe Or Die 2 and Capone-N-Noreaga’s plans to drops a sequel to The War Report, had on your decision to come with Wild Cowboys II?
Sadat X: Well, it didn’t really have any influence, ‘cause I was gon’ do what I was gon’ do regardless. I’m just glad to see that they coming with joints. And I love [Raekwon’s] [Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...Pt. II]. But as far as they albums giving me any influence, not at all, I’ma do what I do.

DX: Yeah it should be noted that on “The Interview” [from the original Wild Cowboys] you said the sequel was coming that next year. [Laughs].
Sadat X: Oh yeah, no question, it took me a minute but it's here.

DX: So is this album a sequel in name only, or are you continuing the loose theme of the streets in comparison to the Wild West?
Sadat X: Well I tried to keep it comparatively the same. I got a lot of the people that was on the first album – Money Boss Playas [for the Minnesota-produced “Everybody Know”], Diamond D [for “In Da Jungle” featuring A.G.], and Pete Rock [for “Turn It Up”] – and then a couple of people blessed me on this new one, a couple of new people. I got M-1 and Kurupt on [“Pray”], Ill Bill [and] 9th Wonder [on “X And Bill”]. So I tried to keep it within the framework of [the original while] adding a little something from the original flavor of Wild Cowboys and [simultaneously] upgrading it to make it be part two.

DX: And speaking of that upgrade, will the sound of Wild Cowboys II sport the same mid-‘90s [thick] basslines and boom-bap drums that the original did?
Sadat X: Well, if that’s what they wanna call it, mid-‘90s. I just go with what sounds good to me, man. If they wanna label it mid-‘90s I guess that’s what it is. But, I had a very high [level of] input on this joint…and every track I stand behind.

DX: I just mean like is there gonna be those modern synth sounds on there…?
Sadat X: Oh nah, I tried to keep it original to my roots. I like to play around with the drums a lot, so you gon’ hear a lot of that in there.

Artistic Direction Of “Wild Cowboys II”
DX
News
Sadat X Explains Artistic Direction Of “Wild Cowboys II”
February 05, 2010 10:02:00 AM CST | by Paul W Arnold
Share
His distinctive nasal-voiced verbals have been blessing Hip Hop listener’s ears for over two decades, first as one-third of the standout socially-conscious crew Brand Nubian, and subsequently as a noteworthy solo artist in his own right. And it’s Sadat X’s solo career that he is retracing back to its roots with the release of Wild Cowboys II.

Due first on February 23rd as a five-song vinyl EP (plus digital download card), with a full 16-track digital and physical LP dropping exactly one month later on March 23rd, Wild Cowboys II marks the release of Sadat’s third album in the three years since he was released from Rikers Island after a year-long stint for felony gun possession.

Now following last year’s Brand New Bein’ and 2008’s Will Tell-helmed Generation X, Sadat has recruited a smorgasbord of sonic suppliers for the sequel to his 1996 solo debut, including new heat providers (9th Wonder, Sir Jinx, Nick Wiz), more recent producers (Will Tell, DJ Spinna), and a few of the elite beatmakers (Buckwild, Diamond D, Pete Rock, Minnesota) that helped to make Sadat’s first LP one of the more notable boom-bap efforts of the mid-‘90s.

During a quick convo with HipHopDX late Wednesday (February 3rd) Sadat provided a sneak peak into the sound and subject matter for Wild Cowboys II, as well as gave an update on his post-prison personal standing.

HipHopDX: I gotta start off by asking you how much influence Raekwon’s Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...Pt. II, and the recent announcements of AZ’s plans to release Doe Or Die 2 and Capone-N-Noreaga’s plans to drops a sequel to The War Report, had on your decision to come with Wild Cowboys II?
Sadat X: Well, it didn’t really have any influence, ‘cause I was gon’ do what I was gon’ do regardless. I’m just glad to see that they coming with joints. And I love [Raekwon’s] [Only Built 4 Cuban Linx...Pt. II]. But as far as they albums giving me any influence, not at all, I’ma do what I do.

DX: Yeah it should be noted that on “The Interview” [from the original Wild Cowboys] you said the sequel was coming that next year. [Laughs].
Sadat X: Oh yeah, no question, it took me a minute but it's here.

DX: So is this album a sequel in name only, or are you continuing the loose theme of the streets in comparison to the Wild West?
Sadat X: Well I tried to keep it comparatively the same. I got a lot of the people that was on the first album – Money Boss Playas [for the Minnesota-produced “Everybody Know”], Diamond D [for “In Da Jungle” featuring A.G.], and Pete Rock [for “Turn It Up”] – and then a couple of people blessed me on this new one, a couple of new people. I got M-1 and Kurupt on [“Pray”], Ill Bill [and] 9th Wonder [on “X And Bill”]. So I tried to keep it within the framework of [the original while] adding a little something from the original flavor of Wild Cowboys and [simultaneously] upgrading it to make it be part two.

DX: And speaking of that upgrade, will the sound of Wild Cowboys II sport the same mid-‘90s [thick] basslines and boom-bap drums that the original did?
Sadat X: Well, if that’s what they wanna call it, mid-‘90s. I just go with what sounds good to me, man. If they wanna label it mid-‘90s I guess that’s what it is. But, I had a very high [level of] input on this joint…and every track I stand behind.

DX: I just mean like is there gonna be those modern synth sounds on there…?
Sadat X: Oh nah, I tried to keep it original to my roots. I like to play around with the drums a lot, so you gon’ hear a lot of that in there.

DX: I was surprised to see Sir Jinx name in the [album’s] production lineup for “Pray,” the joint with Kurupt and M-1. Does that track have more of a west coast Funk to it?
Sadat X: Nah. Actually man that track is a bangin’ joint. I been cool with Sir Jinx for many years, and we been meaning to collab on something and it just so happened that it fell into pocket on this particular project. And I think a lot of people gon’ be surprised [when they hear “Pray”]. Jinx never went nowhere, he always had that [heat and] he gave it to me and we laid it down. And M-1 came through for it, Kurupt, and my man Umi. So I think that’s gon’ be a track that people gon’ really like.

DX: “Pray,” what y’all praying about or praying to?
Sadat X: We ain’t really praying; we just talking about life, certain things that people went through in life. I’m talking a little bit about my daughter, and being the fact that she’s in Atlanta [and] I’m up here [in New York and so] I don’t see her but my influence is still in her life. Ya know, daily stuff like that.

DX: Now, I gotta know if [you feel] “Turn It Up” is on the same level as the classic “Escape From New York”?
Sadat X: Yeah I think so, man. I told Pete [Rock], I explained to him the situation, [that] I was doing Wild Cowboys II and I needed that thing from him. I told him I needed that original Pete Rock flavor, and he went back into the crate and pulled that out. And I think its gonna be reminiscence of that joint. It’s just a straight-up Hip Hop joint.