2 LPs on 1 CD: ROAD TO THE RICHES (1989)/WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE (1990).
Arrangers: Eric Barrier; Nike Wilson; M. Williams.
Although this double-disc set is subtitled "The Best of Cold Chillin'," it shouldn't be confused with the rather different but overlap-prone compilation that is simply titled The Best of Cold Chillin'. This particular package is simply a pairing of Kool G Rap & DJ Polo's first two albums: 1989's Road to the Riches and 1990's Wanted: Dead or Alive. Without going into specifics about the side of the country the duo represented, what stylistic ground they covered, or their era of origin, there's no denying that these two albums are rap classics. Whether evidenced in the raunch of "Talk Like Sex" or the grit of "Streets of New York," Kool G Rap & DJ Polo were one of the most formidable duos of their time, perhaps just one notch below Eric B & Rakim in terms of recorded legacy. The only problem with pairing these two records together is that it leaves their third and final record, 1992's underrated Live and Let Die, orphaned to an extent. As a result, The Best of Cold Chillin' (also a double-disc package) is the best place to get an overview. Not only does it touch upon Live and Let Die, but it includes pre-Road to the Riches material, non-album material, and it also offers more bang for the buck by leaving off the album-filler that hamstrings this title a bit. ~ Andy Kellman minimize