Beyond a stint backing
Digital Underground, an appearance in the film Menace II Society, a solo debut album titled Boxcar Sessions, and participation in an infamous Wake-Up Show battle,
Saafir made paying tribute to his hometown of Oakland his next priority. So in 1997 on Hobo Records, under the moniker Mr. No No, he independently released Trigonometry, an album that thoroughly reeks of East Bay street funk. Known by some as mob music,
Saafir gives the genre more of an abstracted treatment as compared to cohorts such as
3X Krazy and
Mac Mall. With slump-worthy beats provided by J.Z. and
Shock-G,
Saafir effectively conjures images of late-night sideshows and other devilish escapades. Highlights include "Street Scene," "I'm Saafir," and "J.Z. Theme," as well as the inclusion of older tracks such as "Rock the Show" and "In a Vest." While not quite up to snuff when compared to the breadth of Boxcar Sessions, Trigonometry makes for a fine album to ride to. ~ Robert Gabriel