Digital Underground Playwutchyalike: The Best of Digital Underground [PA]

Producers: Digital Underground, The Piano Man, M.C. Blowfish.
Compilation producer: Barry "Rockbarry" Benson.
Includes liner notes by Davey D.
Personnel: PeeWee (vocals, rap vocals, keyboards, synthesizer); Ron "Money B" Brooks, Mark Moore, Mack-Mone, Big Money Odis, Blocko, Tupac Shakur (vocals, rap vocals); Kent Racker (vocals, bass guitar); Jeremy "Jay-Z" Jackson (vocals, programming, drum programming, sampler, turntables); Bonnie Boyer, Dan Myers, Kim Morgan, C M J, Maverick & the Underground Speakhowyalike Crew, Bret Davis, Tanisha Spencer, MC Blowfish, Toby "T-Love" Holton, Ronald "Omar" Everett, George Clinton , Gwen Everett, Clee Askew, Vinny B, Liz Racker, Sleuth, Shirley Tabor, Fuze, Ronvell Sharper, Descaro Moore, Michael Boston, Ronese Levias, Ramone "Pee Wee" Gooden, Saafir, Bulldog (vocals); D-Love, Shassiah, Big Stretch, Master Mind DJ, Omar Everett, The God Rakiem, O.B., Shorty B. (rap vocals); Conditioner, Michael Hampton (guitar); The Piano-Man (keyboards, synthesizer, programming, drum programming, sampler, turntables); Niggerachi (keyboards, synthesizer); Randy Brooks (bass synthesizer); Juan Carlos (percussion); Deon Evans (drum programming, sampler); Chopmaster J (drum programming).
Audio Mixers: Darrin Harris; Mark Slagle; Michael Denten; Steve Counter; Bob Morse .
Audio Remasterers: Daniel Hersch; Steve Pokorny.
Liner Note Authors: Dany C. Tone; Davey D.
Recording information: Alpha Omega, San Rafael, CA; Axiom Recorders, Tampa, FL; Different Fur, San Francisco, CA; Echo Sound, Los Angeles, CA; Hayes Recording Studio, Tampa Bay, FL; Head First Productions, Tampa, FL; Infinite Studios, San Francisco, CA; J-Jam Recording, Oakland Hills, CA; Starlight Sound, Richmond, CA; The Disc Ltd., Detroit, MI; Unique Studios, New York, NY.
Photographers: Victor Hall; Al Pereira; George Rodriguez ; Kristin Callahan.
2003's Playwutchyalike differs significantly from 2001's No Nose Job in its treatment of Digital Underground's album material, and yet both compilations play to the group's strengths rather well. The only miscue worth truly griping about here is the absence of "The Return of the Crazy One"; aside from that, it comes down to weighing album tracks against one another. This disc smartly includes the album mix of "Underwater Rimes," and it also features a number of other tracks not found on No Nose Job: "Sex Packets," "Nuttin' Nis Funky," "Heartbeat Props," and "We Got More." However, the likes of "Carry the Way," "Flowin' On the D-Line," "Doo Woo You," and "Dope-a-Delic" -- all of which are present on No Nose Job -- are sacrificed. Again, some significant singles are found in their truncated radio-edit versions, which is detrimental to songs that are more enjoyable in the loosest form possible. The group's best material has aged extremely well, with "Same Song," "Doowutchyalike," and especially "Kiss You Back" proving that the group's most popular hit wasn't even their best. As with No Nose Job, Playwutchyalike ends the coverage at 1993's Body-Hat Syndrome, with none of the group's post-Tommy Boy material (wisely) considered. ~ Andy Kellman

• Format: CD
• Genre: R&B