DJ Eclipse tells us: “In 1998 both L-Fudge and Shabaam Sahdeeq released 12″ singles on Rawkus Records. Rawkus had been around for a minute, but it was with this era of releases that they really started making some noise (along with Company Flow, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Sir Menelik, The High & Mighty and others). Here’s footage from the Fat Beats NYC in-store celebrating the release of these two singles. Like most FB in-stores, it was never limited to just the advertised artists. In this clip you’ll see L-Fudge, Talib Kweli, Shabaam Sahdeeq, Skam2? & A.L. Skills all performing. Shout out to Max Glazer on the wheels although he’s unseen.”

UK producer Joe Buddha mans the board throughout, defining Chronic Irresponsibility with bump-friendly rhythm, nothing terribly monumental, but complementary to the Fudge formula without a doubt. Actually, Buddha cooks up a mostly somber slow rolling beat-to-back. An after nightfall listening experience indeed as tracks like “A Night At Grant’s Tomb” , the lead-single B-side “Beware” and J-Live collabo “Realise” make for sublime cruising music in the twilight. Moments of vigor diversify things well as the frantic “New York Minute” (with Mr. Complex) scream repeated spins while an equal amount of NYC Love is shown on the album’s opener, “New York Olympic Games”.

While contemporaries like J-Live and Mr. Complex might hold the listener’s attention with a little more ease than Fudge, his long overdue debut (word of another release with varying producers is lingering) Chronic Irresponsibility proves solid and enjoyable. While he’s not exactly the same wild-styling emcee of his first single, Fudge still packs a charismatic punch well worth full-length material, and really, how many people can you truly say that about?