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Code Red Turns 22!


bigted

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With all the news of a new album it's a perfect timing to know that today's 22 years ago the last and perhaps the best JJFP album(although I could argue He's The DJ I'm The Rapper) was released! Share your thoughts and memories of the classic...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Code_Red_(DJ_Jazzy_Jeff_%26_the_Fresh_Prince_album)

I'm Looking For The One To Be With Me is probably one of my favorite songs of all time!

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Code Red was the first JJ+FP album I bought on CD.  All the previously ones I had bought on cassette. My brother bought it on cassette, and a handful of my friends got it on CD.  It was a great album and perfectly represented the time.  Most of the songs timeless and don't sound dated at all.  Jive was on fire and hadn't gotten into pop music yet. Even though the album didn't do overly well, they still pumped out the music videos. "Boom! Shake The Room" was the only single that got decent air play and video play, but they performed the other singles at award shows and events. I remember "Boom! Shake The Room" premiering at the end of a Fresh Prince of Bel-Air episode  I also remember them promoting on MTV at the MTV Beach House.

Code Red is a fan favorite for many, but He's The DJ, I'm the Rappers is definitely their best work when it comes to a full album.  I'd argue that Homebase is a better album two, though its sound caters to the 1990-1992 era in Hip-Hop. I played this album regularly for YEARS since they didn't put out additional albums.  I was heart broken in 1995 when I read in Rap Pages that FP was hanging up the mic.

Excellent album that takes me back to an awesome time in life.

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i wanted to put the album up on this post but i noticed that youtube or spotify doesn't have it, someone should upload code red on there

EDIT spotify does have code red, it didn't when i looked last night though:

Edited by bigted
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Probably my favourite album of all time. I must have listened to this more than 10,000 times. I listened to it all through high school and I still have it in my car today. Not many albums can stand up to that much play. This can because it was so good. The production was hip hop at its finest. Pete Rock, Dallas Austin, Hula & K Fingers, Jazzy Jeff.

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Code Red is my favorite JJ+FP album as well. It's just a step ahead of Homebase. I wish it got more recognition because it truly was JJ+FP at the top of their game. It's a very diverse album from partying to lyricism, love, dreams...etc. I also enjoy hearing Jeff on the vocals too. I wonder if there was any tracks that didn't make the cut. I would love to hear more from that time period. 

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like i mentioned with all the talk about will coming back to music we could do our job as fans to try to keep the good word of his legacy alive, it'd be dope if one of us posts the album on youtube and it started getting some views on there, the more exposure the better, gotta keep the classics alive....

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Code Red is my favorite JJ+FP album as well. It's just a step ahead of Homebase. I wish it got more recognition because it truly was JJ+FP at the top of their game. It's a very diverse album from partying to lyricism, love, dreams...etc. I also enjoy hearing Jeff on the vocals too. I wonder if there was any tracks that didn't make the cut. I would love to hear more from that time period. 

Well From Da South & Get Hyped were both JJFP tracks that didn't make the album.. but I don't think they were strong enough to actually make the album.. Will & Jeff told me they did from da south in jeff's basement when Will rapped it for me in 2004! I'll never forget that moment!! :prof:

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wasn't lovely daze from the code red era as well? i always thought it was 'cause it sounds like music from '93, it'd be interesting if there's a lost tapes JJFP album, they should release one before the new album/tour comes

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"Lovely Daze" was from the Homebase era.

Code Red era B-sides/additional tracks that were released were "Dance or Die" (from the Made In America soundtrack), From Da South (from various Boom! Shake The Room singles), Get Hyped (from various I'm Looking For The One To Be With Me singles), and Don't Fight The Feeling (released in 1998 on the Japanese version of JJ+FP's Greatest Hits).

 

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I like Tim's version of From Da South too!

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i also never heard dance or die before after all these years, maybe somebody could upload that too!

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"Scream" uses the same sample as "Halftime" from Nas' "Illmatic" album, it'd be interesting to hear a blend of these 2 songs from 2 of my favorite albums:

 

 

 

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I love Code Red, easily my favorite all time album and I still play it regularly.  For me it's a fall album, it totally captures American Thanksgiving.  Every fall I put it on and listen to it like made as I watch the seasons change and reminisce.  Good times.

I'm with Tim on this, I must have listened to this 10,000+ times as well.

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It really is a great album for this time of year. I love having Jeff's autograph on the album cover too....maybe one day I can get a fresh prince autograph to go along with it! 

I think this album didn't do as well as it should've because according to Jeff, Jive was losing faith in JJ+FP and also the rap at the time was dominated by the west coast. It's an unbelievable album and I can't stress it enough. Unlimited plays for me as well. 

Don't Fight the Feeling is such a weird track. I still can't get into that track. One of their worst records in my opinion. 

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to me code red deserves to be mentioned a classic from that era among the harder edge hip hop albums like nas' illmatic, dr dre the chronic, jay z reasonable doubt, snoop dogg doggystyle, 2pac's me against the world, and biggie's ready to die but it's sad to know it never gets the credit it deserves, i appreciate all styles of music but i believe JJFP should be mention on more all time lists, usually though code red album is respected among the people who underestimate JJFP as hip hop icons

Edited by bigted
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