Way Back: Question in the Form of an Answer (2000)
“Venice boardwalk, to watch the choppers of v
From South Bay to Pasadena, yo we back on the scene”
- Thes One on “Youth Explosion”
On June 6th, 2000, People Under the Stairs released their second album Question in the Form of an Answer.
The success of Thes One and Double K’s first independently recorded and distributed LP (The Next Step) caught the attention of small San Francisco label, Om Records, and it was with this label that they’d release most of their work going forward.
People Under The Stairs is not who you’ll often turn to for any profound social narratives.Fortunately, the LA-based duo sticks to what they know.
The cut creator of the hood, and already a pro
Smoking up the fat grams and slam like Big Show
Or Bam Bigelow to party down with the hoes
Yes, they have some silly songs about smoking weed and drinking at barbecues because they’re regular guys and that’s their charm. But some of the coolest tracks they have pay homage to the essence of hip-hop. They talk about crate-digging and working at crafting great records. That part of hip-hop is often lost on a generation that can easily access music via streaming services. Hearing Thes One rap about walking into record stores to find that one rare vinyl is a beautiful blast from the past.
They give listeners a slice of life in SoCal, but not like Dre and Snoop did in the previous decade. Their version of things is much more lighthearted.with funny stories from their neighborhood or the passion they developed for rap thousands of miles from its birthplace.
The album’s best work comes on both its first and last singles, “Youth Explosion” and “We’ll Be There”. The former has some hard boom bap drums over a popular Gap Mangione sample (“Boys With Toys). The latter has a smooth jazzy saxophone that Thes and Double K glide over.
Smoking beedis, hanging out the window sill, watching the moon
Writing rhymes, making beats, waking up at noon
Digging up old tunes, that’s the life for me
And chilling with my best friend whose name is MPC
This album helped to set the foundation for a run that lasted all the way through 2019. They toured the world, rocked major festivals and earned props that are rarely given to the underground. Real rap heads knew PUTS had something special when this LP dropped, 20 years later and that still remains true.
