Showbiz & A.G. Runaway Slave - Japanese Bootleg?

[cvac]

Recently I got a copy of "runaway slave". The cd came with a obi strip and a little white booklet in addition to the regular cover with text in Japanese. Upon close inspection, I think it may be a bootleg, since the cover art looks like it was scanned and cut off on the right edge, plus the art on the cd itself looks like it was repro'ed from the American cd.

Also, the volume appears to be mastered a little lower than most cds, even early 90s hip hop releases that didn't have good mastering in the first place. I don't own a copy of the original cd from 92, so I have no idea if the sound quality/mastering was crummy on the original as well.

Any ideas about this? I've attached a pic of the cd.

[alanp0099]

I own the same one, and I actually bought it here, straight from Access. I do realize the cover does look a little low-res, but it did not look like a bootleg to me. The volume level seemed pretty standard for early 90s golden age hip-hop. I've heard worse for sure. Look at the barcode. Is it crisp and clear?

[cvac]

Alan, did yours come with a red or black obi strip? There appear to be two different "versions" that are supposedly made in Japan. Mine has the red obi. Also, mine doesn't have parental advisory sticker or symbol like the pic from the one that was sold here.

[alanp0099]

Alan, did yours come with a red or black obi strip? There appear to be two different "versions" that are supposedly made in Japan. Mine has the red obi. Also, mine doesn't have parental advisory sticker or symbol like the pic from the one that was sold here.

I don't remember and I'm at work now. I can hit you back after I take a closer look at my copy at home.

[Skatter Brain]

that album is classic as hell

[alanp0099]

Alan, did yours come with a red or black obi strip? There appear to be two different "versions" that are supposedly made in Japan. Mine has the red obi. Also, mine doesn't have parental advisory sticker or symbol like the pic from the one that was sold here.

OK, I got the CD in front of me....

I have the one with the red obi, like yours. The art is low-res, but is professionally printed. It has a tri-fold 2-sided color booklet, and also a quad fold insert with a bunch of Japanese text on it, and a picture. The bar code does look a little fuzzy. I'm not convinced it would scan, but it may. Overall though, it looks like a pretty damn official print to be a bootleg. Chances are they did not have the original artwork files for the album when it came time for a reissue - kinda like the Wild Pitch reissues. But this is still a lot nicer IMO....if unspectacular.

[alanp0099]

Looking at it a bit more, the color booklet does say "Printed in USA" on it, so it's obviously scanned artwork. Maybe this black and white insert says something about it, but I can't read Japanese. lol

[cvac]

Yeah, it sounds like we have the same one. Hmm. I'll give it a full listen and see if the mastering/volume issue is really that bad. What would be nice is a properly remastered, professionally done reissue of the first two Show and AG albums as a double cd set.

[Blame One]

have this on vinyl... love this album... straight classic..