Who Shakes the Best

Song: Who Shakes the Best
Artist: Candyman
Album: Ain’t No Shame in My Game



The early late 80’s/early 90’s were a very exciting time for hip hop as it was gaining strength as a major force within the business despite (or because of) various content controversies that popped up (from “Cop Killer” to “Me So Horny”) and yet, comparatively… it’s was all pretty innocent, given the times.

Best known for the pop hit “Knockin’ Boots,” Candyman’s debut album “Ain’t No Shame in My Game” was released toward the end of 1990 and enjoyed some success mainly based on that single. I was actually a pretty big fan of the record at the time… it’s filled with catchy, albeit goofy, pop hip-hop tunes that really capture THAT time. I pulled the album out and listened to a few tracks recently, it really took me back. I especially was fond of “Who Shakes the Best,” a back and forth diss track that is again goofy, yet very, very endearing in its naiveté. It was never a single… just a fun lost jem of an album track, in a time when you bought a full record… not download a single.

Unfortunately for Candyman, his career sank fast. Releasing album after album of critical and commercial failures. Most recently, unfortunately, with “Knockin; Boots 2001: A Sex Odyssey” from 2001. The album included a remake of his solo smash, as well as remixes. Again, critical and commercial failure. And yet this wasn’t his first time of re-hashing old songs as his sophomore album contained, you guessed it… “Who Shakes the Best, pt. 2.” Hey-hey, you know it.

But I never got any of his other albums, so really can’t speak of them honestly. All I know is I dug his first record (he really has a nice flow) and now think upon it as a reminder of a nicer time in the record business. Not artistically per say… just nicer.

Enjoy.

Knockin’ Boots

Yo! Tone Loc makes a cameo in the intro, I totally forgot that.