Miami Bass Waves, Vol. 3: 1990's Greatest Rap Hits

CD titles don't get much more misleading than this. For rap fans, the title Miami Bass Waves, Vol. 3 indicates that it contains bass music -- a very fast, hyper form of rap that came out of South Florida in the mid-'80s and became extremely popular in the Southeastern U.S. Bass' love of speed contrasts sharply with the slower tempos favored by many New York, Philly, and L.A. rappers in the late '80s and early '90s. But the fact is that this disc contains very little bass music. The Get Fresh Girls' "I Seen Your Boyfriend" and the 2 Live Crew's infectious "Me So Horny" qualify as bass -- in fact, the Crew and its controversial leader Luther Campbell are the first names that come to mind when bass is mentioned. But rap hits like MC Lyte's "Cha Cha Cha," Kool Moe Dee's "I Go to Work," Biz Markie's "Just a Friend," and De La Soul's "Me Myself and I" are examples of New York hip-hop, not bass. The contents of Miami Bass Waves, Vol. 3 are generally excellent; it's just that the title is so inappropriate. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide