The Cactus Album (The Cee/Dee)

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The Cactus Album (The Cee/Dee)
Studio album by 3rd Bass
Released	October 23, 1989
Genre	Old school hip hop
Length	65:46
Label	Def Jam/Columbia
Producer(s)	Pete Nice, Daddy Rich & MC Serch
Professional reviews
All Music Guide [ link]
3rd Bass chronology
	The Cactus Album (The Cee/Dee) (1989)	Cactus Revisited (1990)

The Cactus Album (The Cee/Dee) was the old school rap debut album by 3rd Bass, released on Def Jam. The album received rave reviews from the hip hop press, and gained some publicity by being perhaps the first white group to achieve real hip hop credibility. The album features songs that are usually either lyrical showcases or are about women (such as the hidden sexual meaning of "Oval Office"). The song, "Sons of 3rd Bass" can be viewed as a dis to the Beastie Boys (who had recently severed ties with 3rd Bass' record label, Def Jam) in that it references them in several lines such as:

Swarm to the lyrics cause Serch is your father

Screaming "Hey Ladies," why bother?

The album is notable for featuring Daniel Dumile (on '"The Gas Face") in his recording debut. At the time, he was recording under the alias Zev Love X, a member of the rap duo KMD, but would later come to be known as MF DOOM.

The Cactus Album peaked at #5 on Billboard's Top Hip Hop/R&B Albums chart and at #55 on the Billboard 200 chart.

[edit] Track listing

1. "Stymie's Theme" – :13
2. "Sons of 3rd Bass" (Berrin/Citrin/Nash) – 4:46
3. "Russell Rush" – :25
4. "The Gas Face" (Berrin/Dumile/Nash/Prince Paul) – 3:48
   • Samples beat from "Think" by Aretha Franklin
5. "Monte Hall" (Berrin/Berrin/Citrin/Nash) – 5:26
6. "Oval Office" (Berrin/Citrin/Nash) – 3:32
7. "Hoods" – :17
8. "Soul in the Soul" (Berrin/Citrin/Nash) – 3:49
9. "Triple Stage Darkness" (Berrin/Citrin/Nash/Nash) – 4:10
10. "M.C. Disagree" – :44
11. "Wordz of Wisdom" (Berrin/Citrin/Nash) – 6:31
12. "Product of the Environment" (Berrin/Citrin/Nash) – 6:15
13. "Desert Boots" – :22
14. "The Cactus" (Berrin/Citrin/Nash) – 4:40
15. "Jim Backus" – :04
16. "Flippin' off the Wall Like Lucy Ball" (Berrin/Citrin/Nash) – 3:16
17. "Brooklyn-Queens" (Berrin/Nash/Prince Paul) – 3:37
18. "Steppin' To the A.M." (Berrin/Nash/Sadler/Shocklee/Shocklee) – 4:50
19. "Episode #3" – :11
20. "Who's on Third" (Berrin/Citrin/Nash) – :59
21. "Wordz of Wisdom, Pt. 2" (Berrin/Citrin/Nash) – 7:56

[edit] Personnel

• MC Serch - Producer, Performer
• Daddy Rich - Producer, Performer
• Pete Nice - Producer, Performer
• Steven Ett - Editing
• Adam Gazzola - Editing
• Prince Paul - Producer
• Kevin Reynolds - Engineer
• Nick Sansano - Engineer
• Keith Shocklee - Producer
• Hank Shocklee - Producer
• Chuck Valle - Engineer
• Eric "Vietnam" Sadler - Producer
• Bruce Buchalter - Engineer
• Curt Frasca - Mixing, Engineer
• Greg Gordon - Engineer
• Mark Mendelbaum - Engineer
• Sam Sever - Producer
• Howard Zucker - Art Direction, Design
• Cey Adams - Design, Logo Design

[edit] Charting singles

Year	Title	Chart Positions
		Rap Singles	R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks	Dance Music Maxi-Singles Sales	Dance Music Club Play
1989	"Steppin' to the A.M."	#5	#54	#50	??
1990	"The Gas Face"	#5	??	31	??
1990	"Brooklyn-Queens"	??	??	??	20