Boxcar Sessions
| Boxcar Sessions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 1994 | |||
| Recorded | 1993–94 | |||
| Studio | Pajama Recording Studios (Oakland, CA) | |||
| Genre | West Coast hip hop | |||
| Length | 58:38 | |||
| Label | Qwest/Reprise/Warner Bros. Records 45602 | |||
| Producer | ||||
| Saafir chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Boxcar Sessions | ||||
| ||||
Boxcar Sessions is the debut studio album by American rapper Saafir.[1][2] It was released in 1994 via Qwest Records.[3] The recording sessions took place at Pajama Recording Studios in Oakland, California. The production was handled by DJ Jay-Z, J Groove and Big Nose, with Sleuth and Saafir serving as executive producers. It features guest appearances from Big Nous, King Saan, Poke Martian and Rashinel.
Critical reception[edit]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [4] |
| RapReviews | 7.5/10[5] |
Trouser Press wrote that the album "has promisingly jazz-flecked beats and a pleasant flow, but the rapper’s lyrics are hollow, crude and obnoxious."[6]
Alex Henderson of AllMusic compared Saafir's musical style favorably to such celebrated hip hop artists as A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, Digable Planets, and the Pharcyde. Henderson stated that "between Saafir's rapping style and the jazzy production, Boxcar Sessions is fairly fresh sounding."
Track listing[edit]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Grab the Train" |
| J-Z | 1:21 |
| 2. | "Swig of the Stew" |
| J-Z | 3:58 |
| 3. | "Poke Martian" |
| J-Z | 0:52 |
| 4. | "Playa Hayta" |
| J Groove | 3:36 |
| 5. | "Pee Wee" | Jackson | J-Z | 2:50 |
| 6. | "Battle Drill" |
| J Groove | 3:58 |
| 7. | "Westside" (featuring King Saan) | 1:05 | ||
| 8. | "Worship the "D"" |
| J-Z | 4:05 |
| 9. | "Light Sleeper" |
| J-Z | 3:28 |
| 10. | "Rashinet" |
| Big Nous | 1:34 |
| 11. | "Can U Feel Me?" |
| J-Z | 3:50 |
| 12. | "No Return (Goin' Crazy)" |
| J-Z | 4:34 |
| 13. | "Big Nose" | Alston | Big Nous | 3:28 |
| 14. | "Just Riden'" |
| J-Z | 3:39 |
| 15. | "Hype Shit" |
| J Groove | 2:53 |
| 16. | "Real Circus" |
| J-Z | 4:12 |
| 17. | "Bent" |
| J Groove | 4:29 |
| 18. | "The Instructor" |
| J-Z | 0:45 |
| 19. | "Joint Custody" |
| J Groove | 4:01 |
| Total length: | 58:38 | |||
Personnel[edit]
- Reggie "Saafir" Gibson — vocals, mixing (tracks: 3, 4, 8, 9, 12, 15-19), executive producer
- H. "Poke Martian" Norris — vocals (track 3)
- Hasaan "King Saan" Mahmoud — vocals (track 7)
- Rick "Rashinel" Trammell — vocals & mixing (track 10)
- Ty "Big Nous" Alston — vocals (track 13), producer & mixing (tracks: 10, 13)
- Jeremy "Jay-Z" Jackson — producer & mixing (tracks: 1-3, 5, 8, 9, 11, 12, 14, 16, 18)
- James "J Groove" Carson — producer (tracks: 4, 6, 15, 17, 19), mixing (tracks: 4, 17, 19)
- Crayge Lindesay — engineering
- Brian "Big Bass" Gardner — mastering
- Neil "Sleuth" Johnson — executive producer, management
- Kevin Hosmann — art direction
- Victor Hall — photography
References[edit]
- ^ Thompson, Jerry; Deterville, Duane (2007). Black Artists in Oakland. Arcadia Pub. p. 120.
- ^ Shapiro, Peter (2001). The Rough Guide to Hip Hop. Rough Guides. p. 155.
- ^ Pope, Lavar (2020). Rap and Politics: A Case Study of Panther, Gangster, and Hyphy Discourses in Oakland, CA (1965-2010). Springer Nature. p. 303.
- ^ Henderson, Alex. "Saafir - Boxcar Sessions Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
- ^ Jost, Matt (June 2, 2015). "Saafir :: Boxcar Sessions – RapReviews". www.rapreviews.com. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
- ^ "Digital Underground". Trouser Press. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
External links[edit]
- Saafir – Boxcar Sessions at Discogs (list of releases)
