Kool Moe Dee (Bonus Track Version)

By the time he recorded this self-titled debut solo album, Kool Moe Dee was considered a veteran by hip-hop standards. The graduate of the Treacherous Three made no secret of the fact that he was among the founders of rap's old school. This engaging album proved that Dee still had considerable technique, and could be a commanding storyteller. Lyrically, he is undeniably blunt, and this bluntness works to his advantage on such gems as "Little John," a reflection on an inner-city youth's life of crime; the anti-cocaine number "Monster Crack"; and the commentary on venereal disease "Go See the Doctor." Kool Moe Dee's infectious hit "Do You Know What Time It Is" was accused of being sexist, but such knee-jerk reactions to the song missed its point — the Harlem native was attacking materialistic women, not women in general. One of this album's producers is Teddy Riley, who went on to enjoy quite a bit of recognition a few years later as a member of the highly influential new jack swing outfit Guy.