Metal Lungies

Apologies for the week off, I’m back on course with a sureshot remix of one of my favourite songs. Queens-based duo Organized Konfusion consisted of rappers Prince Po & Pharaohe Monch. The song I’m covering today is “Stress”, off their classic sophomore effort, Stress : The Extinction Agenda. “Stress” was released as a single, in both 12” and “cassingle” formats. Each had a slightly different track listing but both had the original version of “Stress”, produced by Buckwild, and a remix done by Large Professor.

The album version of “Stress” features pounding, reverb soaked drum hits and an ill Charlie Mingus sample (from “Chazz Fingers” off Mingus Revisited). “Stress” begins with only a downbeat bassline (reminiscent of Buckwild’s work on OK affiliate O.C.’s “Time’s Up”) and gradually adds the other elements. High pitched keys are played just before the horns come in.

The song is interrupted in the middle by a dialogue interlude where Monch & Prince Po try to get a cab to Queens but the guy drives off. The single version omits the skit in the middle but as far as I can tell is identical otherwise.

The video for the album version is below and mostly consists of OK buggin’ out in the snow, seen through a fish eye lens. I don’t need to tell you how great it is.

As good as the original, this writeup is about the remix. The Extra P blessed remix features new verses from both Pharaohe & Po, along with a verse from the “live guy with glasses” himself. I’ll spare you detailed comparison of the two versions’ verses (compare original VS remix), but Large Pro’s verse is dope and I want to share it.

Now nothing ain’t deeper than having to throw a nigga in the sleeper
Don’t stress, and take that shit from Large Profess’
Cause I be on the train trying to maintain
Getting lower than the whole while the record man gain
And it make me want to sting somebody, with the shottie
Cause I can’t relate to living less than great
So I while I make a fat beat to eat
Some of my mans from John Ball high school are sleeping in the street
That stress shit is ill, if you let it, it will
Having your ass on the staircase smoking a scrill
Never that for me, nigga my name’s Extra P
I can’t afford to be stressed the fuck out in ’93
Or ’94, cause everybody knows my solution
to being stressed is looking at the front door

The remix replaces the paranoid, claustrophobic feel of the OG with a laidback, summery vibe. A warm jazz guitar loop and Extra P’s trademarked sleigh bells reverberate throughout the track. A smooth sax line comes in on the chorus. It sounds like it could be a Pete Rock remix from around the same period. The remix flips the chorus of “Crush, kill, destroy, stress” into a kind of cathartic mantra. A fantastic remix but it would sadly be one of the last few Large Professor remixes for a while, besides some great scattered work over ’95-96, on a Blue Note remix project and his dual remixes of Common’s “Resurrection”.

Organized Konfusion – Stress (Album Version)

Organized Konfusion – Stress (Large Professor Remix)