“Oh I love him, but what if he hurts me?”
The Emotions are Hip-Hop royalty. One listen to this female R&B group’s sample classic “Blind Alley” is all one needs to know about how important their music is to Hip-Hop’s history. Producers have found great breaks and melodies from their 10 albums released from 1969-1985. Instead of focusing on their well-known later gold and platinum LPs for Columbia (Flowers, Rejoice, Sunbeam), Wu-Tang’s RZA stayed their sophomore album Untouched, which includes “Blind Alley,” made when they were under Stax and going through a lineup change (original member Jeanette Hutchinson quit after getting married and having a child).
Produced at this time by Isaac Hayes and David Porter, The Emotions hit “I You Think It…” featured a short speaking intro from one of singers reflecting on her love of a man. When she questions the danger of it, she accents the words “what if” with a timbre that’s both shrill and raspy. It catches your attention, as it no doubt caught RZA’s, who made it the foundation for one of the best tracks off the original Cuban Linx, “Verbal Intercourse.” From the womb to the tomb…
THE EMOTIONS “IF YOU THINK IT YOU MAY AS WELL DO IT”
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RAEKWON FT. NAS & RAEKWON “VERBAL INTERCOURSE”
Beats, Boxing and Mayhem 