Upon its release in 1995,
Smif-n-Wessun's
Dah Shinin' was unfortunately swept aside by the popular onslaught of
the Notorious B.I.G. and
the Wu-Tang Clan. That's too bad, because the group's album is a masterpiece of New York City crime rap. The stars of the album aren't really the two MCs,
Tek and Steele, but the
Beatminerz production team. They were responsible for the groundbreaking tracks on
Black Moon's
Enta da Stage, the album on which
Smif-n-Wessun made their debut, and they continue their strong track record on
Dah Shinin'.
Da Beatminerz craft their songs with deep, fluid basslines and moody jazz samples. On
Smif-n-Wessun's debut, they create a series of hazy soundscapes perfect for the group's brand of lyrical mayhem.
Tek and Steele don't break any new ground, but they bring enough joyful abandon to their tales of guns, drugs, and thugs to keep things interesting. Their smoked-out rhymes match the beats perfectly. Indeed, few hip-hop albums offer such a unified coherent effort.
Dah Shinin' is certainly
Smif-n-Wessun's strongest album to date, and it represents da Beatminerz's high point as well. ~ Chris Witt