Illuminated by
K-Def's slick production skills and with a little help from friend and big-time super producer
Marley Marl,
Turnaround: A Long Awaited Drama had a fresh sound and became an underground success. The album, recorded at
Marley Marl's legendary House of Hits studio, was a showcase for amplified crime-rhyme. The hit single "Real Live S**t" benefited from a prodigious timpani drum track laid down by
Marl, and the album also featured an all-star remix of the track with appearances from
Ghostface Killah and
Cappadonna from the
Wu-Tang family.
K-Def's production inflated the album with thick, heavy drum kicks and subtle strings, while
Larry O's raw and unpretentious lyrics revolved around drug trafficking and its many perils. ~ M.F. DiBella, All Music Guide