Cold Case Files: Vol. 1
{{Short description|2008 compilation album by Onyx}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Cold Case Files: Vol. 1
| type = compilation
| artist = Onyx
| cover = Cold Case Files.jpg
| alt =
| released = August 19, 2008
| recorded = 1992–2003
| venue =
| studio =
| genre = {{hlist|East Coast hip hop|gangsta rap|hardcore hip hop}}
| length = 54:45
| label = Iceman
| producer = {{hlist|Omar "Iceman" Sharif (exec.)|Fredro Starr|Jam Master Jay|Keith Horne|Self|Kronic Tones|Dominche}}
| prev_title = Triggernometry
| prev_year = 2003
| next_title = Cold Case Files: Vol. 2
| next_year = 2012
}}
Cold Case Files: Vol. 1 is a compilation album by American hardcore rap group Onyx released on August 19, 2008, by Iceman Music Group. This compilation contains singles and lost studio recordings from the group's albums.
The album was produced by Jam Master Jay, Fredro Starr, Kronic Tones, Dominche, Self and Keith Horne. The album features guest appearances from Method Man, X1, Panama P.I., Smoothe da Hustler, Trigger tha Gambler, D.V. Alias Khrist, All City, Still Livin', Gang Green, Whosane and Chocolate.
Background
After conquering Hollywood, Onyx return to the scene, emerging from their musical vaults with a new album, Cold Case Files, a 16-track collection of previously unreleased songs executive produced by the members of Onyx and Omar "Iceman" Sharif. The collection features underground singles, lost studio recordings from the group's first three albums, and appearances from Method Man, deceased Onyx affiliate X1, and Gang Green. According to the group, revisiting these sessions also served as a tribute to fallen soldiers Jam Master Jay, X1, Big DS, and all Onyx affiliates who have passed away in the last five years; some of which are still unsolved murders.{{cite web |url=https://www.kickmag.net/2008/07/05/onyx-cold-case-files-unsolved-murder |title=Onyx: Cold Case Files Unsolved Murder |author=BLAKCITRUS |website=kickmag.net |date=2008-07-05 |access-date=2018-12-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140823232851/http://www.kickmag.net/2008/07/05/onyx-cold-case-files-unsolved-murder/ |archive-date=2014-08-23 |url-status=live}}
Fredro's younger brother, Whosane, archived most of the unreleased tracks. Sonny Seeza, who served as album supervisor shares, "Whosane was usually in the studio with us and kept all our classic recordings that never made it onto albums in the Onyx music vault; so when the time came to select tracks for Cold Case Files, he had tracks that we didn't even know existed on everything from cassettes, DATs, CDs to 2-inch reels. According to Fredro Starr, Onyx has at least 60 tracks, and this is just the first volume of unheard material.{{cite web |url=http://allhiphop.com/stories/features/archive/2008/08/22/20324669.aspx |title=Onyx: Cold Getting Dumb |author=DeVaughn Douglas |website=allhiphop.com |date=2008-08-22 |access-date=2025-01-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080822221221/http://allhiphop.com/stories/features/archive/2008/08/22/20324669.aspx |archive-date=2008-08-22 |url-status=dead}} DJ Infinite, one of Fredro's good friends, came up with the idea to make this album:{{cite web |url=https://riotsound.com/interview/onyx |title=Onyx Interview: Return Of The Madface |author=Alex Shtaerman |website=riotsound.com |date=2016-02-17 |access-date=2018-12-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180815050325/http://riotsound.com/interview/onyx/ |archive-date=2018-08-15 |url-status=dead}}
"...We wanted to put something out for the fans, especially the true Onyx fans. DJ Infinite, one of my good friends and associates came up with the idea of doing this album and putting out some of these tracks. So my brother Whosane had the cassettes and the DATs saved from back in the days and we just transferred all that into the digital age and now you got the Cold Case album."
Critical response
{{Album ratings
|rev1 = HipHopDX
|rev1Score = {{rating|3.00|5}} [https://hiphopdx.com/reviews/id.1003/title.onyx-cold-case-files# HipHopDX Review]
|rev2 = AllHipHop.com
|rev2Score = {{rating|5.50|10}}
|rev3 = AllMusic
|rev3Score = {{rating|3.5|5}} [https://www.allmusic.com/album/cold-case-files-vol-1-mw0000793338 AllMusic Review]
|rev4 = UG Rap
|rev4Score = {{Rating|7.5|10}}[http://www.ugrap.de/reviews/album-reviews/onyx-cold-case-files-murder-investigation UG Rap Review]
|rev5 = BoomBapReviews
|rev5Score = {{rating|4.0|5}} [http://boombapreviews.blogspot.com/2015/06/onyx-cold-case-files-murder.html BoomBapReviews Review]
}}
RomanCooper of HipHopDX gave the album three stars out of five, saying "...This album is easily worth copping – if you’re an Onyx fan. If you’re not familiar with their music, you’d be much better served scooping up either Bacdafucup or All We Got Iz Us. Cold Case Files doesn’t really manage to distinguish itself from common issues associated with compilation albums. That being said, even cuts that didn’t make Onyx‘s albums manage to bring you back to the gritty early 1990s. With a gem or two nestled among these tracks, fans of that sound may want to check this."{{cite web |url=https://hiphopdx.com/reviews/id.1003/title.onyx-cold-case-files# |title=Onyx - Cold Case Files |author=RomanCooper |website=hiphopdx.com |date=2008-09-05 |access-date=2018-12-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181230233536/https://hiphopdx.com/reviews/id.1003/title.onyx-cold-case-files |archive-date=2018-12-30 |url-status=live}}.
Tika Milan of AllHipHop.com gave the album 5.5 stars out of 10, noting that many of the songs sound so similar that if you don't pay attention, it's hard to tell where one ends and the other begins. The production is built on simple basement beats: a drum machine, a few keyboard chords, and a looped sample or two.{{cite web |url=http://allhiphop.com/stories/reviews/archive/2008/09/08/20482222.aspx |title=AllHipHop Reviews : Onyx: Cold Case Files (Album Review) |author=Tika Milan |website=allhiphop.com |date=2008-09-08 |access-date=2025-01-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080909102613/http://allhiphop.com/stories/reviews/archive/2008/09/08/20482222.aspx |archive-date=2008-09-09 |url-status=dead}}
Track listing
| class="wikitable" |
| #
!Title !Featured guest(s) !Producer(s) !Samples !Length !Year |
|---|
| 01.
| «U.S.G.» | | Jam Master Jay | | 0:15 | 1992 |
| 02.
| «Ghetto Way Of Thinking» | | Fredro Starr | | 4:40 | 1995 |
| 03.
| «O.N.Y.X.» | | Kronic Tones |
| 3:21 | 2003 |
| 04.
| «See U In Hell Pt. 2 (Freestyle)» | X1 | |
| 3:22 | 1998 |
| 05.
| «Evil Streets (Remix)» | Method Man & Panama P.I. | Fredro Starr |
| 4:13 | 1994 |
| 06.
| «Rock U» | | Fredro Starr | | 4:14 | 1996 |
| 07.
| «Hydro» | | Keith Horne | | 3:06 | 1996 |
| 08.
| «Purse Snatchaz Pt. 2» | Smoothe Da Hustler, Trigger Tha Gambler & D.V. Alias Khrist | Fredro Starr |
| 3:32 | 1994 |
| 9.
| «Wili’n Wili’n» | All City, X1 & Still Livin' | | | 4:08 | 1998 |
| 10.
| «See You In Hell (Freestyle)» | | |
| 3:39 | 1997 |
| 11.
| «I’ll Murda U (Remix)» | Gang Green | Fredro Starr |
| 3:43 | 1995 |
| 12.
| «Mad World» | Whosane & X1 | Self | | 4:16 | 1997 |
| 13.
| «I Don’t Want To Die» | Chocolate | Keith Horne |
| 3:47 | 1997 |
| 14.
| «Return Of The Madface» | | Kronic Tones |
| 3:22 | 2003 |
| 15.
| «Candy Man» | X1 | Fredro Starr |
| 2:12 | 1995 |
| 16.
| «Hard To Be A Thug» | | Sticky Fingaz | | 3:09 | 1999 |
Personnel
Credits for Cold Case Files: Vol. 1 adapted from AllMusic and CD booklet.[https://www.allmusic.com/album/cold-case-files-vol-1-mw0000793338/credits Cold Case Files: Vol. 1 credits adapted from the AllMusic review][https://www.discogs.com/Onyx-Cold-Case-Files-Vol-1/release/1589803 Credits for Cold Case Files: Vol. 1]
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
- Onyx - performer, vocals
- Fredro Starr - performer, vocals, executive producer
- Sticky Fingaz - performer, vocals, executive producer
- Sonny Seeza - performer, vocals, executive producer
- Omar "Iceman" Sharif — executive producer
- Method Man — guest artist
- X1 — guest artist
- Panama P.I. — guest artist
- Smoothe da Hustler — guest artist
- Trigger Tha Gambler — guest artist
- D.V. Alias Khrist — guest artist
- All City — guest artist
- Still Livin' — guest artist
- Gang Green — guest artist
- Whosane — guest artist
- Chocolate — guest artist
- Jam Master Jay — producer
- Kronic Tones — producer
- Dominche — producer
- Self — producer
- Keith Horne — producer
- DJ Infinite — associate producer
- Salvatore "Dagrind" Mula — A&R
- David Rivera — A&R
- Dagrind Entertainment — A&R
- Whosane — album supervisor
- Inkpen — art direction, design
{{div col end}}
Cold Case Files: Vol. 2
{{Infobox album
| name = Cold Case Files: Vol. 2
| type = compilation
| artist = Onyx
| cover =
| alt =
| released = August 10, 2012
| recorded = 1993–1999
| venue =
| studio =
| genre = {{hlist|East Coast hip hop|hardcore hip hop}}
| length = 66:51
| label = Major Independents
| producer = {{hlist|Keith Horne|Onyx|8-Off Assassin|3rd Eye|Jam Master Jay}}
| prev_title = Cold Case Files: Vol. 1
| prev_year = 2008
| next_title = #WakeDaFucUp
| next_year = 2014
}}
Cold Case Files Vol. 2 is a compilation album by American hip hop group Onyx released on August 10, 2012 by Major Independents.{{Cite web| url= http://www.thetroyblog.com/2012/08/10/onyx-cold-case-files-vol-2|title=Onyx "Cold Case Files Vol. 2"| website=thetroyblog.com |access-date=2018-09-16}} Physical copies became available on January 23, 2014.{{Cite web| url= https://www.amazon.com/Cold-Case-Files-Vol-2/dp/B00IXR119Q|title=Onyx - Cold Case Files, Vol. 2| website=amazon.com |access-date=2018-09-16}} The album contained unreleased tracks from the group's first three albums, Bacdafucup, All We Got Iz Us and Shut 'Em Down.
The album was produced by Keith Horne, Onyx, 8-Off Assassin, 3rd Eye (a.k.a. Jesse West) and Jam Master Jay. The album features guest appearances from Naughty By Nature, Biggie Smalls, 3rd Eye (a.k.a. Jesse West), Gang Green (X1, Sife, Still Livin'), All City (Greg Valentine), Jared "Choclatt" Crawford и Tracy "Sunshiine" Woodall.
Background
One of the main findings of this collection was the never released before track "Flip Dat Shit". In January 1993, at the recording studio The Hit Factory in NYC, rappers Naughty By Nature, Onyx, Chyskillz, Jam Master Jay, Biggie Smalls, Puff Daddy and producer/rapper Jesse West (also known as 3rd Eye) joined together to record a track "Flip That Shit" special for the soundtrack to the new movie "Who's the Man?". Many years later, fans were still able to hear the track "Flip That Shit" thanks to DJ JS1, who passed this digitized tape to Sticky Fingaz, who added this track to the collection of unreleased songs of Onyx's "Cold Case Files Vol. 2"
The track "To All Ya'll Crews, Whatever", which was not included on the album "All We Got Iz Us", was leaked on Onyx's website in CD quality on March 22, 2016. Earlier, this track was released on Cold Case Files Vol. 2 in poorly digitized cassette quality.
Critical reception
{{Album ratings
|rev1 = Rate Your Music
|rev1score = {{Rating|3.16|5}}[https://rateyourmusic.com/release/comp/onyx/cold-case-files-vol-2 Rate Your Music review]
|rev2 = Sputnikmusic
|rev2Score = {{rating|2.5|5}} [https://www.sputnikmusic.com/soundoff.php?albumid=156888 Sputnikmusic Review]
|rev3 = BoomBapReviews
|rev3Score = {{rating|4.0|5}} [http://boombapreviews.blogspot.com/2015/06/onyx-cold-case-files-volume-2-august.html BoomBapReviews Review]
}}
BOOM BAP REVIEWS gave this release a good response saying "The important thing is that Onyx actually took the bold step and we're here now with yet another Onyx collection that appealed. So, is it any good? The very nature of this project should be a godsend to Onyx fans. Plus, for the assholes out there, they're simply telling you to buy it for free. And besides, 6 crap songs out of 16 is still a bargain, right? Right?!".{{Cite web| url= http://boombapreviews.blogspot.com/2015/06/onyx-cold-case-files-volume-2-august.html|title=Onyx - Cold Case Files Volume 2 (August, 2012)| website=boombapreviews.blogspot.com |access-date=2018-09-16}}
Track listing
| class="wikitable" |
| #
! track ! featured guest(s) ! producer(s) ! sample(s) ! length ! year |
|---|
| 01.
| "Set It Str8" | X1 & Sife (a.k.a. Certified from Gang Green) | |
| 3:55 | 1997 |
| 02.
| "Kidz From Queens" | Still Livin' | |
| 3:41 | 1995 |
| 03.
| "Bring It" (also known as "Hey!") (The Philadelphia Flyers half time anthem) | | Keith Horne |
| 4:02 | 1998 |
| 04.
| "Hi Hoe" | | |
| 3:03 | 1997 |
| 05.
| "Crime Stories" | | |
| 4:41 | 1997 |
| 06.
| "Punk Motherfukaz" (Full Length) | | Onyx; 8-Off Assassin (co-producer) |
| 4:40 | 1995 |
| 07.
| "To All Ya'll Crews, Whatever" | | Onyx | {{smalldiv|
}} | 3:20 | 1995 |
| 08.
| "Anything Goes" | | Onyx | {{smalldiv|
}} | 3:20 | 1997 |
| 9.
| "Give It All You Got" | Greg Valentine | |
| 3:43 | 1999 |
| 10.
| "Flip Dat Shit" | Naughty By Nature, Biggie Smalls and 3rd Eye (a.k.a. Jesse West) | 3rd Eye | {{smalldiv|
}} | 4:10 | 1993 |
| 11.
| "Pussy On The Regular" | | Keith Horne |
| 4:03 | 1997 |
| 12.
| "Take That" (Full Version) | | Keith Horne |
| 4:03 | 1996 |
| 13.
| "Raze It Up" (Demo version with different lyrics) | | Keith Horne | {{smalldiv|
}} | 4:03 | 1996 |
| 14.
| "Love Of Money '96" (Unreleased rock version with different lyrics) | X1 & Chocolate | | {{smalldiv|
}} | 4:55 | 1996 |
| 14b.
| "You Must Be Outta Your Mind" | X1 & Sunshine | | | 3:44 | 1997 |
| 15.
| "We Comin' Thru Ya'll" (a similar beat was used later on "Broke Willies") | | Keith Horne |
| 3:57 | 1997 |
| 16.
| "Walk In New York" (Jam Master Jay original "working" version with different beat and some different lyrics) | | | 3:18 | 1995 |
Notes:
Personnel
Credits for Cold Case Files: Vol. 2 adapted from CD booklet.[https://www.discogs.com/Onyx-Cold-Case-Files-Vol-2/release/9329073 Cold Case Files: Vol. 2 Credits for Cold Case Files: Vol. 2]
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
- Onyx - performer, vocals, producer
- Fredro Starr - performer, vocals
- Sticky Fingaz - performer, vocals, executive producer
- Sonny Seeza - performer, vocals
- Naughty By Nature — guest artist
- Biggie Smalls — guest artist
- 3rd Eye (a.k.a. Jesse West) — guest artist
- Gang Green — guest artist
- X1 — guest artist
- Sife — guest artist
- Still Livin' — guest artist
- All City — guest artist
- Greg Valentine — guest artist
- Jared "Choclatt" Crawford — guest artist
- Tracy "Sunshiine" Woodall — guest artist
- Keith Horne — producer
- Jam Master Jay — producer
- 8-Off Assassin — producer
- 3rd Eye (a.k.a. Jesse West) — producer
- Paul Scavone — associate producer, album supervisor
{{div col end}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.discogs.com/Onyx-Cold-Case-Files-Vol-1/release/1589803 Cold Case Files: Vol. 1 at Discogs]
- [https://genius.com/albums/Onyx/Cold-case-files-murder-investigation Cold Case Files: Vol. 1 at RapGenius]
- [https://www.discogs.com/Onyx-Cold-Case-Files-Vol-2/release/9329073 Cold Case Files: Vol. 2 at Discogs]
- [https://genius.com/albums/Onyx/Cold-case-files-vol-2 Cold Case Files: Vol. 2 at RapGenius]
{{Onyx}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:2008 compilation albums