Big Shots is a studio album by American hip hop duo Charizma & Peanut Butter Wolf.[1] Recorded between 1991 and 1993 for Hollywood BASIC, it was released on Stones Throw Records in 2003, 10 years after Charizma's death.[2] It peaked at number 2 on CMJ's Hip-Hop chart,[3] as well as number 27 on the CMJ Radio 200 chart.[4] The first single from the album, titled "My World Premiere", was originally released in 1996.[5]

Big Shots
Studio album by
ReleasedNovember 18, 2003 (2003-11-18)
Recorded1991–1993
StudioStudio Apogee, San Jose, California
GenreWest Coast hip hop
Length46:24
LabelStones Throw Records
ProducerPeanut Butter Wolf
Charizma & Peanut Butter Wolf chronology
Big Shots
(2003)
Big Shots Bonus EP
(2004)
Singles from Big Shots
  1. "My World Premiere"
    Released: 1996
  2. "Devotion"
    Released: 2000
  3. "Here's a Smirk"
    Released: 2003
  4. "Jack the Mack"
    Released: 2003

Critical reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic     [6]
The A.V. Clubfavorable[7]
CMJ New Music Monthlyfavorable[8]
Dusted Magazinefavorable[5]
East Bay Expressfavorable[9]
HipHopDX4.0/5[2]
Metro Silicon Valleyfavorable[10]
RapReviews.com6/10[11]
Spinfavorable[12]
XLR8Rfavorable[13]

Sam Samuelson of AllMusic gave the album 3 stars out of 5, calling it "a treasure that should be cherished by hip-hop fans the world over."[6] Todd Inoue of Metro Silicon Valley said, "Charizma sounds like MC Shan blessed with youthful lung capacity while PB Wolf makes like Marley Marl programming beats in DJ Premier's lab."[10] Ross Hogg of XLR8R said, "Charizma's voice brims with eagerness, enthusiasm and earnestness; Wolf's textured, jazzy beats epitomize boom bap and are a sign of great things to come."[13]

Nathan Rabin of The A.V. Club said, "while Big Shots is one of those charmed debuts where nearly every song sounds like a terrific single, it wouldn't be without Wolf, whose gorgeously constructed tracks, flawless ear for melody, and extensive sonic quotations anticipate Madlib."[7] Rachel Swan of East Bay Express said, "had Charizma not been shot and killed in '93, he might've turned into another Pharoahe Monch or J-Live."[9]

In 2003, East Bay Express included it on the "Best Music of the East Bay" list.[14] In 2007, The A.V. Club included it on the "10 Unjustly Overlooked Hip-Hop Classics" list.[15]

Track listing

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No.TitleLength
1."Here's a Smirk"3:31
2."Methods"4:07
3."Jack the Mack"3:10
4."Talk About a Girl"1:24
5."Red Light Green Light"2:40
6."Tell You Something"3:38
7."Gatha Round"3:00
8."Devotion"3:59
9."Apple Juice Break"0:38
10."My World Premiere"2:07
11."Ice Cream Truck"3:37
12."Charizma What"3:47
13."Fair Weathered Friend"4:04
14."Soon to Be Large"3:15
15."Pacin' the Floor"3:27
European edition CD bonus disc
No.TitleLength
1."Gatha Round (Original Version)"4:42
2."Devotion (Harp Version)"4:13
3."High School Love"4:05
4."Take It Easy"0:37
5."Just Like a Test"2:47
6."Bless You"3:25
7."Red Light Green Light (Remix)"3:02
8."Vapors"4:42

Personnel

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Credits adapted from the CD liner notes.

  • Charizma – vocals
  • Peanut Butter Wolf – production, executive production
  • Peter Stanley – recording
  • Dave Cooley – mastering
  • Jeff Jank – design, photography
  • Theresa Castro – photography
  • Egon – label management

References

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  1. ^ Li, Christina (May 19, 2011). "Peanut Butter Wolf on His History with 45s and Why the Vinyl Comeback Is Overhyped". SF Weekly. Retrieved May 30, 2017.
  2. ^ a b J-23 (November 30, 2003). "Charizma & Peanut Butter Wolf - Big Shots". HipHopDX. Retrieved May 30, 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  3. ^ "Hip-Hop (Period Ending 2/3/2004)". CMJ New Music Report (852): 15. February 16, 2004.
  4. ^ "CMJ Radio 200 (Period Ending 2/3/2004)". CMJ New Music Report (852): 8. February 16, 2004.
  5. ^ a b Huffman, Emily (March 7, 2004). "Dusted Reviews: Charizma and Peanut Butter Wolf - Big Shots". Dusted Magazine. Archived from the original on March 22, 2015. Retrieved May 30, 2017.
  6. ^ a b Samuelson, Sam. "Big Shots - Charizma, Peanut Butter Wolf". AllMusic. Retrieved May 30, 2017.
  7. ^ a b Rabin, Nathan (January 12, 2004). "Charizma & Peanut Butter Wolf: Big Shots". The A.V. Club. Retrieved May 30, 2017.
  8. ^ Gladstone, Neil (January 2004). "Best New Music". CMJ New Music Monthly (120): 45.
  9. ^ a b Swan, Rachel (December 31, 2003). "Charizma and Peanut Butter Wolf - Big Shots". East Bay Express. Retrieved May 30, 2017.
  10. ^ a b Inoue, Todd (February 12, 2004). "Charizma Comes Alive". Metro Silicon Valley. Retrieved May 30, 2017.
  11. ^ Juon, Steve (October 28, 2003). "Charizma & Peanut Butter Wolf :: Big Shots :: Stones Throw Records". RapReviews.com. Retrieved May 30, 2017.
  12. ^ Hermes, Will (February 2004). "Reissues". Spin. 20 (2): 100.
  13. ^ a b Hogg, Ross (February 24, 2004). "Charizma & Peanut Butter Wolf - Big Shots". XLR8R. Retrieved May 30, 2017.
  14. ^ Swan, Rachel (November 26, 2003). "Best Music of the East Bay". East Bay Express. Retrieved May 30, 2017.
  15. ^ Rabin, Nathan (January 5, 2007). "Inventory: 10 Unjustly Overlooked Hip-Hop Classics". The A.V. Club. Retrieved May 30, 2017.

Further reading

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