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The Listening: The Story Behind Little Brother's Debut Album

Started in a college dorm room by a group of North Carolina Central students in 2001, the Justus League collective and offshoot trio Little Brother defined the sound of Durham hip-hop for years to come, constructing a style altogether distinct from everything to the north and south. This level of innovation turned heads with some of hip-hop’s biggest names, and the members of Little Brother (9th Wonder, Big Pooh and Phonte) have gone on to work with superstars like Kanye West, Kendrick Lamar, Drake, Jay-Z, Dr. Dre and Questlove, who appears in the documentary. 

Through the use of extensive interviews with the group and never before seen archival footage, The Listening chronicles a key moment in Little Brother’s past and present: the creation of their first album. 

It is the first of two short films about the group directed by Holland Randolph Gallagher, creator of the web series Hype, and produced in collaboration with Little Brother for Come Hear North Carolina. 

 It is the latest in a long line of projects commissioned by the North Carolina Arts Council as part of their Come Hear NC initiative with the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. 

Released : February 8, 2005

Length : 45:39

Label : 6 Hole Records

Producers : 9th Wonder, Khrysis, Nicolay, Big Dho

After Little Brother gained success with their classic debut album, The Listening, in 2003, members Phonte teamed up with Netherlands producer, Nicolay to form The Foreign Exchange and dropped their neo-soul debut, Connected (2005) and 9th Wonder became known for producing numerous artists like Jay-Z, Destiny’s Child, De La Soul, Memphis Bleek, Mary J. Blige, Murs, Sean Price and more. In February 8, 2005, Thomas “Big Pooh” Jones let the hip-hop world know that he ain’t going to be the only Little Brother member without any solo shit. He did just that with his dope ass solo debut, Sleepers. Most of hip-hop fans claims that Pooh is the weakest link of the trio, which is not true. This album is the best that ever done it, point blank period. The album is primarily produced by fellow Little Brother member, 9th Wonder and fellow Justus League (which Little Brother is a part of) beatsmith, Khrysis, with two tracks produced by Nicolay and Big Dho, respectively. The album has guest appearances by fellow Little Brother member, Phonte, O-Dash (who had the most appearances on this album), Spectac, Darien Brockington, Median, Joe Scudda and Murs.

I. “Wake Up”

From a dialogue of School Daze, Laurence Fishburne screaming “WAKE UP”, so, on this album, IT’S TIME TO WAKE YO BITCH AZZ UP, NIGGA!!!

II. “I Don’t Care”

With that crazy ass, organ-driven beat produced by Khrysis, Mr. Jones, better known as “Big Pooh”, letting y’all know that he don’t care if you call him “the weakest link” of LB, he glad that he got haters. Big Pooh, you never ever disappoint with them bars.

III. “The Strongest Man”

The lead single off the album. Big Pooh going at it with that nice slow flow and them hard kickin’ rhymes. Just like the title of this song, Pooh is the strongest man when he spit them bars. Who made this smooth ass, soulful, groovy beat? Who is it? Wait, it’s 9th Wonder, Y’ALL!!!

IV. “Heart of the City”

With that Dilla-esque, soulful beat produced by 9th Wonder, Big Pooh rapping the heart of the east side of Durham, North Carolina. Letting you know that there’s gangstas, thugs, drug dealers and all the bad niggaz over there. I like the ironic title of the song as well, so genius.

V. “Every Block”

Awwww shit!!! PHONTE, BIG POOH & 9th WONDER come together on this track right here, baby. Te and Pooh going at it with their tandem chemistry about their love for hip-hop and their passion about writing rhymes.

VI. “Just Friends”

The second single from the album, with this smooth ass beat produced by Khrysis. With the lyrics and the title of the song, Pooh telling a fine ass girl know that they ain’t gonna be lovers, they just friends. Kinda remind me of Usher’s “Lovers & Friends”, a little bit. The beat is dope, the lyrics is dope.

VII. “Live Life”

With this soulful, smooth beat produced by Khrysis, once again, Pooh collide with his friends, O-Dash and Spectac on this track about struggling hard life. I kinda like this track a little bit. It would’ve been better if Pooh had Te on this track as well.

VIII. “My Mind”

With this jazzy, smooth beat, produced by Khrysis (to be honest, I thought 9th did it, but it is what it is), Pooh and O-Dash collaborate once again and this time, Darien Brockington aka D-Brock sings on the hook with his D’Angelo-resemblance vocals. Pooh and O-Dash talking about the memories with their friends, who are no longer on this planet earth.

IX. “Dash’s Interlude”

One of the two tracks that is not produced by 9th or Khrysis and the only track that is not performed by Pooh. With this dark, ferocious beat produced by Nicolay (½ of the Foreign Exchange), O-Dash spits twenty bars, just filling in for Big Pooh for right now.

X. “Scars”

With this crazy, ass southern, soulful, gutter beat produced by 9th Wonder, Pooh teams up with fellow Justus League soldiers, Median & Joe Scudda, on this track. The three rap  about the pain that they go through in life. I wish Pooh added Chaundon & Jozeemo on this track as well. Even Pooh and Scudda did their thing on this track, Median outshined them niggaz with one verse, I feel like it should’ve been one of the best acclaimed hip-hop verses of all-time.

Here’s 9th’s story of this joint :

You’re talking about Sleepers. Yeah, that ‘Scars’ joint, man. Pooh was at my house when I made it and he took it right off the press. That’s what cats would do, they would take beats right off the skillet. I make it, and then seconds later they’ll say, ‘It’s mine. He got it and then put Median and Joe Scudda on it. That’s one of my favorite beats too. We were working on Pooh’s album at the time, and ‘Scars’ was meant to be on Sleepers all day. But ‘Heart Of The City’ was something we actually recorded right after The Listening. That record was actually sitting around for a bit. We recorded that around the same time we recorded ‘Light It Up’ with Nicolay. I remember we had some issues trying to figure out how to tie the whole album together, but we were eventually able to get everything set with all those skits from Insomnia and School Daze.

XI. “Between The Lines”

With this jazzy, groovy, folk beat, produced by 9th Wonder, Pooh showcases his playboy, charming style on this track to the ladies.

XII. “The Jungle”

One of the two tracks that is not produced by 9th or Khrysis, Pooh brings his Scarface-inspired (the MC, not the movie) storytelling bars on this nice smooth, soulful, dark beat, which produced by his manager/Justus League leader (sometimes rapper, DJ or producer), Big Dho.

XIII. “Now”

With California MC, Murs collaborating and 9th Wonder on the beat machine, Pooh goes in with this track right here. Fun fact: What you hearing on this album is the second version of “Now” by Rapper Big Pooh, you can find the first version (produced by Khrysis) on the Justus League extended play, Triple Play: The EP.

XIV. “The Fever”

A dope closing track, not bad, Pooh, with this dark, soulful, vocal-sampled beat by Khrysis. But my favorite line on this track is “Record rock solid just like prudential/Dho got the resume so fuck credentials/Scoring parts with words when it come to the pencil/They couldn’t get it right if I lent ’em a stencil”. I wish Pooh made Scars a closing track, though.

Final thoughts: One of the dopest solo albums of all time, but underrated. With the helps of 9th and Khrysis on the production duties, Pooh proves the world that he ain’t no weak link as a LB member and a soloist. Pooh, I hope you, Te and 9th get Little Brother back together, cause I’m glad that y’all squashed the beef, Pooh and Te, I mean.

Rapper Big Pooh - Potpourri (Dead Flowers) Ft. Finian St. Omer II

EPISODE 155: Big Dho

Chris sits down with hip-hop manager and businessman Big Dho. They talk about strip clubs, gaining maturity, and overcoming fear.

Website: Let's Be Honest Dho ChrisLamberth.com

Twitter: @BigDho @MundaneFestival @ChrisLamberth