48 Hours (Frank-N-Dank album)

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Frank-N-Dank chronology
48 Hours

Studio album by Frank-N-Dank
Released	August 5, 2003
Recorded	2002-2003
Genre	Hip-Hop
Label	Loose Zipper
Producer(s)	J Dilla
	48 Hours (2003)	Xtended Play Version 3.13 (2006)

This is an article about the Frank-N-Dank album. For other instances of the words, see 48 Hours.

48 Hours is the name of the debut album by rap duo Frank-N-Dank, unofficially released in 2003. It is entirely produced by J Dilla.

1 Overview
2 Production
3 Tracklisting
4 Performers
5 References
6 External links

[edit] Overview

48 hours can be seen as a collaboration between J Dilla and Frank-N-Dank, as the former not only produces the whole record but also played a large role in bringing the group to a larger underground audience, through their appearance on Welcome 2 Detroit, as well as producing various 12"s released prior to the album. However, the making of the album, under MCA Records, was plagued with setbacks as two subsequent versions of the album were rejected by the label. It received virtually no pre-release promotion indicating that the-then folding label had no serious intentions of releasing the album. J Dilla in an interview with Groove Attack:

We tried to give the masses what they were looking for, but it wasn't what the label was looking for. And we kinda took a whole year-and-a-half in the hole, basically. We worked on the album so hard. If I'd known that they wanted this simple shit, well I wouldn't call it simple, but the shit that we do so easy, you know, we woulda did that. But we tried to put work into this album and tried to give them some shit that's competitive with this Roc-A-Fella camp and with this big money shit. We want to take it bigger.

^[1]

Many fans believe that this largely sample-free version was recorded to appease MCA, who were reluctant to clear the samples used on the original recording. That theory is somewhat supported by the fact that the 12"s released by the duo prior to 48 Hours all featured sampling, as do the songs on, Xtended Play Version 3.13, the group's second album .

Eventually a version of the shelved album surfaced on the market, with questionable packaging yet a professional quality of sound, and mastering. Two 12"s were released by independent label ABB in support of the album - "Take Dem Clothes Off" b/w "Off Ya Chest", in 2002, and "Ma Dukes" b/w "Pimp Strut" in 2003. None of the songs from the triple A-Side single "Push" b/w "Where The Parties At?" b/w "I'll Bet You Will", were included on the available version (the album version of "Where the Parties At?" differs greatly from the 12" version - featuring different lyrics and a beat that no longer includes a sample of Mtume's "Juicy Fruit").

[edit] Production

On 48 Hours, J Dilla showcases a different aspect of his trademark production techniques. Although he's known for hypnotic, dreamy sounds-capes from prior works such as Fantastic, Vol. 2, the sounds on 48 Hours are largely based around sparse electronic melodies, robotic drum patterns, rousing synth stabs and other Moog-based instruments.

These productions reflect both the changes/advancements in Hip hop production at the time and Dilla's incorporation of these ideas, as well as the producer's absorption of (or one could argue 'being influenced by') other producer's styles who were greatly different from his, such as Dr. Dre, Timbaland, and most notably Pharrell Williams, on the staccato clav-based "Take Dem clothes Off". Nevertheless the quirky attributes of J Dilla's productions remain present throughout the record, as can be heard on "Off Ya Chest", where a pounding build up leads to a spacious drum rhythm, complimented by sirens, whistles, blips, zaps, and female vocal snippets.