You may have realized that it's been a few weeks since our last post. Schools definitely been a burden but I've get good news. Instead of slowing down to the point of one review a month, there will actually be a new post every single day in September. It's going to be a stunt blogging experience that Ill probably regret, but hopefully enjoy all of them. (leave comments) We've taken off the rest of August in preparation for the shitstorm we're about to face. So just keep calm, reviews for Doris, Trap Lord, and Hall Of Fame are coming, you're just going to have to wait until Labor Day. With that, enjoy the rest of your month and we'll see you all in September.
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As previously stated, the frequency of posts may be slowing down in the future. Or maybe they won't, but it doesn't matter right now and its time for a review that I've wanted to get up for a while. You probably haven't heard of them but believe or not, at least in 1992, The Pharcyde was a hot commodity in the hip hop world and crossed barriers in the genre. Nothing garnered them fame like their debut, which is considered groundbreaking and classic by many. Take a look at those last couple adjectives and hopefully you'll realize that this is a review worth reading. That's not saying I agree, though. Plenty of so called classics don't do it for me. *Bam! Just like that your anticipation is going through the roof again*
Anyways, The Pharcyde is a California hip hop group notoriously known for their ability to spell titles incorrectly but still have them sound the same. Affiliates and weed carriers aside, the core group consist of four rappers: Slimkid3, Imani, Bootie Brown, and Fatlip. 1992 was an important year for hip hop, as more and more artist tested the experimental waters and alternative hip hop became more acceptable. The catch was that these cats were out of the west coast, where that type of shit wasn't allowed. No, all the weird, alternative music was rooting from the east coast and was still a foreign subject to the good folks of California. The Pharcyde was just about the farthest thing from gangsta rap that you could get. No guns would be toted, instead the group opted for odd lyrics, lighthearted story telling, hilarious profanity, and even a little bit of social commentary. The only similar topic would be that weed is still good. I'd feel like I'd be cheating you all if I forgot to remind you how fly that cover art is. Take another gander at that this and then get back to the review... Anyways, they somehow managed to get signed to a record deal at Delicious Vinyl. Please remember that as well. I wasn't aware of that during my first couple listens, which resulted in a terrible whirlwind of confusion. I consider myself to be well educated in hip hop slang, but talk of delicious vinyls caught me off guard. After dropping, Bizarre Ride II was meet with overwhelmingly positive reviews, receiving praise for jazz, R&B, and soul influences (all provided by J-Swift, who produces all put one song) scattered across the tape, while still keeping a funny and uptempo vibe. Perhaps the most shocking statistic is that this album managed to move over half a million units, a number the the group never eclipsed with their future work. A big single (Passing Me By) helps, but I have no explanation as to why sales were so high. I was late on The Pharcyde and wasn't aware they existed up until a couple years ago. Of all the places in the fucking world, I came across this via ITunes, in the suggestions category. I've never actually intensely searched through there in hopes of uncovering a lost gem, but I'll give them credit on this one. Still, digital copies aren't really my thing and I fully endorse buying physical copies of albums. Guess I'm old school, but doesn't it just feel better to actually have something in your hands whenever you buy something? But yes, I eventually gave into the temptation of picking up a digital copy, although I'd still appreciate finding a real copy. Also, for anyone who feels up to some research, was Bizarre Ride I a thing, and if not, why do we feel the need to name this as the sequel. I know that's my job, but I don't feel like looking right now. But on to the real question: does the music come close to matching the cover? 1. 4 Better Or 4 Worse (Interlude) A quick instrumental is not a good way to start off a classic album but I guess this is decent enough. Not like I was expecting anything else. *Sigh* 2. Oh Shit Meh, this songs decent enough but I was looking for more out of a song that was is supposed to start a classic album. As you can probably tell by the title, this is silly as hell and should not be taken seriously. Fatlip's crazy third verse is actually based on a true story, but he leaves out the part about getting a blow job from the tranny. The video of him talking about this is almost too weird to believe, but this comedy saves this song from being bad. Other than that, this song gets old very quickly. 3. It's Jiggaboo Time (Skit) Well, this is pretty damn racist. Jiggaboo isn't exactly a word used in today's world, but it can still come off as a sensitive subject when presented to the wrong people. Its a pretty useless skit anyways, so there's no reason for it to enter your speakers more than once. Unless this is your type of thing, of course. 4. 4 Better Or 4 Worse Another fairly boring song that I forgot about seconds after it was over. If anything, you will remember an incredibly disturbing and flat out frightening verse courtesy of Fatlip. It starts off as a prank call, but quickly takes a dark ass turn as he touches on the subject of rape and cutting off fingers. The best thing I've gotten from this album so far is that all the tracks seem to have held up very well. They haven't necessarily been great, but I can definitely imagine something like this being pumped out by today's artist. Overall, I still wasn't completely digging this song. 5. I'm That Type Of Nigga (Feat. Buckwheat) We're finally introduced to one of the groups weed carriers, but thankfully, at least for this verse, he turns in a really nice performance. Along with Buckwheat, all of the groups four members tag along for the fun and drop some heat over J-Swift's beat, which is the best of the album so far. Different types of sampling will always come and go, but blaring horns always sound nice. Anyways, the overall sound of this song is much better than the previous songs and puts the album on the right track. That's awesome because if this album suddenly sucked my mind would have been nailed with an atom bomb of sadness. No, don't even act like that's an overstatement. 6. If I Were President (Skit) Well it does say that this is a skit, but its more of a one verse wonder that should have been expanded into a longer track. By me complaining that the song is too short, I'm sure you can tell that this song is pretty good. Kind of reminds me of those couple of tracks on Magna Carta... Holy Grail. Just, you know, a little better. 7. Soul Flower (Remix) Ok, now we're really getting somewhere, as the production damn near outshines the rappers. That's still an almost, though. No one really talks about anything meaningful, but the groups goofiness makes for an awfully entertaining listen. Imani's annoying ass voice is the carrier of one of the albums best verses saying, "I go from skip skop to hip hop to be bop to p funk cutting enough bullshit to turn a tree into a tree trunk". I don't know, I though that shit was pretty dope. If its killing you as much as it is me, the original version of this song appears on Heavy Rhyme Experience Vol. 1, a collaboration album made up of anyone who wanted to show up to the studio. This was nice as hell. 8. On The DL (Feat. Buckwheat) And we're back again with Buckwheat who continues to not be bad. He must have some issues of some sort with the group because he's better than a couple members in the crew and I can't think of a logical reason as to why he wasn't just added as an official member. Think of him as a Cappadonna, but to a slightly lesser extent. The instrumental is boring as hell, but the real entertainment comes from a verse strictly about one guys experience of masturbation. I find that funny and if you don't, we'll you probably need to loosen up a bit and enjoy comedic gold. Even if you are up tight as hell, you have to acknowledge the originality in the topic of masturbation, at least in the rap universe. 9. Pack The Pipe (Interlude) A short, jazzy interlude that doesn't even give enough credit to the word "useless". I don't know if this was supposed to be some way of hyping up the actual song, but I wasn't feeling it. 10. Officer The interlude seems to have rejuvenated the young fellas, as everyone again seems happy to be rhyming. Kicking off the song, its basically a Public Enemy spoof that even includes the voice of Flava Flav. The group quickly turns the song into their own, but keeps the Public Enemy feel. You see, that's how you pay homage to your favorite group, make one singular song, not make a whole album bitting their shit. (Looking at you Mr. West) Slimkid3 lays the most memorable verse, as he is more worried about his record deal if he gets arrested than anything else. Can't imagine anything too drastic would happen. Rappers get arrested all the time and we never even hear about it, let alone them getting dropped by their labor. Never mind, this songs dope and you should enjoy it for what it is. 11. Ya Mama The fact that they even had the audacity to release a song based purely around the "yo mama" joke should warrant a purchase from you, but it also shows the first sign that the album was actually recorded in 1992. Don't act like you don't find this shit funny, either. You're never too old to enjoy some lighthearted humor. Just another great song in the midst of a wave of total awesomeness (please excuse my third grade level praise) 12. Passing Me By This song was popular enough for me to expect to to already know what the hell I'm talking about. For such an unknown group, I'm still amazed that this topped the hip hop billboard. For the song, its a love song that's sadder than I remember, but its still great. You may even know some of the lyrics from the Joe song "Stutter (Remix)" that literally borrowed an entire line from the song. I'd call him out for that but then I remembered how frequently the entire version of Slick Rick's "La Di Da Di" is used. Miley Cyrus fan? Search that shit and learn how to spell the name of the hook. This song is still amazing, though. 13. Otha Fish The choice of having Slim having the solo track seems questionable on the surface but he delivers a more than admirable song, displaying the changing emotions of a relationship. Probably the closest thing to a relatable track on this entire album, besides "On The DL". L.A. Jay takes on the production here, making for the only non-J Swift produced track, but there's no let down, as it sets the tone nicely. I'm confused at the thought process of literally repeating the hook twenty times at the end, even though its only a single line. On another interesting note, this song was actually added on after the album had been recorded, serving as a companion to "Passing Me By". J-Swift had actually been fired at this point (sheeeesh, I've been loving these beats, must have been a terrible guy), which is why he doesn't produce it, but the song still fits in perfectly. 14. Quintin's On The Way (Skit) Shamefully, I laugh at this skit every single fucking time, which is a first for any skit, but I can't see too many people sharing my joy so you might want to give this one a skip. 15. Pack The Pipe (Feat. Quinton) You didn't really think they'd forget a weed song, did you? I was reading the lyrics to the song the other day and the second verse was beyond confusing. Not that there was any groundbreaking and complex lyrics, but rather there are two people rapping at the same time. Normally, that would be annoying as hell, but I still loved this song. That's right, I'm actually enjoying a stoner song. What can I say, its simply hilarious, which is always a good recipe for entertainment. 16. Return Of The B-Boy Yeeees, the groups final song may very well be my favorite on the album. A general tribute to old school hip hop, everything about the music is happy and makes you want to dance. That's not just me, either. All the member seem to get in on the action and deliver energy filled verses, none more impressive than Imani. Can't close your album much better than that. Rating:4.5/5 Whenever I rate an album this highly, I always take into consideration what the album has done for the genre, whether good or bad. Depending on that, I'll decide whether nor not to add on the extra half star. In this case, that parts covered, as Bizarre Ride II opened up all kinds of door for west coast alternative hip hop. The only things holding this album back from a classic rating is the fairly slow start and number of skit. After track four, though, we are nailed with a shit storm of greatness. I mean that in the best way conceivably possible. After it finally picks up steam, it never slows down, making for one of the more entertaining albums you'll ever hear. All four rappers sound great rhyming next to each other, resulting in some truly amazing songs. A lot of this may come off as insane on the surface, but the groups can get serious and make a socially conscience song or even veer off into the love song category. Like I stated earlier, all the songs hold up surprisingly well and sound like they could have just recently been made. Absolutely a must hear for any hip hop fan, just trust me on this one. If you don't like it, I'll personally apologize, but I won't give you any money back. I'm not forcing you to get it, only strongly, strongly, recommending it. Now its up to you to put that recommendation to good use. Like most people probably realize, the school year is about to come back around, meaning unfortunately the blog may be moving slower than usual, by no choice of mine or my partners. There is nothing in the world I love more than talking about music, and will continue to try my hardest to pump out these reviews, regardless if we have two readers a day, or two thousand readers. That being said I really want to end this summer on a high note, and talk about a tape that I've been bumping just about every day for the last two months. I talk about this a lot on twitter, and bump it around all my friends, so you know how much I am in love with it, but it's about damn time I tell you why it's as good as it is.
Let's start with the cover. If you follow eXquire on twitter (I seriously doubt you do) he uses the hashtag cosmic all the time. I figure that is a reference to the color and back drop of the cover, because that is all I can think of. Now for the exciting part, eXquire is abstinent! That's right he does not have sex anymore, because he was tired of having meaningless sex with women. Now while I respect that, hold the fuck up. The same man claiming abstinence is gripping the naked ass of a woman on the cover of his mixtape. Let that sink in and have a nice laugh. While he is often repackaged as, "mr. MFN eXquire" this is not by his choice. This is the type of guy who if asked in an interview at the Grammys what his rap name was, he would exclaim, " mr. MUTHAFUCKIN eXquire!" While he has this attitude that would indicate a lack of caring, he also is incredibly smart for a rapper, hell, for any person in general. That attitude will stifle his ability to break out to a mainstream audience, he will still garner enough of a following because of his ingenious lyrics, and impeccable flow. You know how much I love this guy, but now I want to see if I can sway even one reader to download this free tape. You heard me, you don't have to pay a cent for this shit. What the hell would stop you from downloading it. Hell if you want, hit me up and I'll give you my Datpiff password, anything to get this some more listens. After that tirade I'm sure you want to hear what all the fuss is about, well your ass is in luck. 1. Cauldron If you are a mixtape type of guy, you know the first track usually includes stupid DJ shout outs, and general promotional messages, with maybe a few bars thrown in. Here we get one of the best opening tracks ever. This is what you call starting off on a high point. A wonderful thing about this mixtape is that there is no rising action, is starts great and ends the same way. This song is about the struggle and the growth of eXquire. The flow on the first verse is absolutely incredible, when he starts with the, "rumbling in the jungle," lines. The second verse is about him with a woman, and his new view on life after success. It is much more aggressive than the first verse, but maybe even better. One of the lines that hits hard is, " the same shit I was avoiding is the same shit I turned around and deemed important." This is a great introspective track, and is unimaginably easy to listen to. 2. Noble Drew Ali This name is a character of eXquire. Once again it is crazy how often he talks about sex, while saying he is abstinent. However, sex is not the theme of the song. The lyrics are so good, and the flow is so constant that this is the type of song you have to Rap Genius. It has two very good verses separated by a speaking interlude in the middle. He talks more about how really being a rapper isn't all it's built up to be. He also eludes to the idea that he is too complex for the average listener, which I find to be almost fact. If you are in love with dumbed down lyrics, and think the new Rich Gang album was a classic. I demand you turn this shit off, because you don't deserve to listen to it. 3. I Was Drunk When I Wrote This The hook is very catchy, and something you could hear on the radio and not think twice. This is the first song that even has a hook, so it is fun to have something that is easily repeatable. This is a much more basic song lyrically than the previous two, but his flow has never been more on point. I am saying right now that if eXquire was truly intoxicated while writing this then I have no faith in the direction hip-hop is heading. This is still lyrically better than ninety percent of the bullshit you hear daily, and he is supposedly drunk. Listen to this shit, and tell me Ace Hood could touch it lyrically while sober, so sad. 4. She's Not Fucking With Me (skit) This skit sets up the next two songs nicely, but isn't wildly entertaining by any means at all. 5. Cherry Raindrops This song basically tells the story of a love that was doomed from the start. While this is a love song, the most masculine of men will still love and respect the lyrical ability and flow of eXquire. As for the story, these two people fell in love in three days, and surprisingly it did't work out. Apparently the love was genuine and the timing was all wrong. The beat changes before the second verse and we get a little more back story. Apparently the female has a lover, but her and eXquire are in love. This is all summed up by the four words eXquire utters at the end, " Perfect couple, bad timing." 6. Vanilla Rainbows As a sequel to the last song, the happy tone of the beat is surprising. We get an opening monologue about the word passion, and how eXquire doesn't see a comparison between himself and any other rappers. Other than that, this is just an upbeat song, in which eXquire shows out as usual. The whole theme around the song is that after something bad comes something good, hence the line, " Vanilla Rainbows after cherry raindrops." This is just an enjoyable listen, fairly short, and to the point. 7. Illest N***** Breathin' (ft. Goldie Glo) So which one of you dumb big stupid assholes thought eXquire was soft. After what was essentially a two part love song, we get the real thugs anthem. Goldie provides an average verse, but the catchiest hook of all time. The beat resembles the music in Lord of the Rings when the setting was Mordor. Lyrically it's not like eXquire was brilliant, but it was simplistic and hilarious. He has a line about his arms getting, "strenghter" which is hilarious. Imagine fucking waking up to this song. One could not possibly have a bad day after setting this as an alarm. School might not be as much of a hassle waking up to this song. 8. Chains (ft. Heron) This is a super lyrical, Afrocentric themed track. eXquire goes with a more introspective verse rather than blatantly talking about racism or any similar issues. On the flip side Heron, who is known as a black activist, is much more up front about the theme. While Heron doesn't sound bad, eXquire is just so much better and easier to listen to. After hearing the first part of this tape, the harshness of Heron's voice is kind of annoying. However this is still a good song, at this point I'm searching for even the smallest things wrong with this tape. 9. Hoes (Prelude) This is the beat to the next song, and a speech by a man named Gorgeous Black. Much like the other skit, it does nothing more than set up the next song. 10. Hoes I Don't Remember While this is shockingly good track, it still doesn't make complete sense. He says at one point that he will never forget any of the girls that he's been with, but still says in the hook that the song is for the hoes he doesn't remember. That aside this track is weirdly good, and not what you'd expect it to be. It depicts eXquire as a very good guy, and he seems to regret all the sex that he's had with the girls. As a kid I can't relate to this song at all, but I still understand what eXquire is going for, and I applaud him for it. If that confused you, trust me I'm just as confused. 11. Tomorrow's Gone (ft. Danny Brown, Nacho Picasso, & Flatbush Zombies) Man eXquire fucking murdered this track. This is a posse cut, but each rapper gets an above average length verse. eXquire destroys the first minute of the song, and while I'm a huge Danny Brown fan, he could hardly keep up. eXquire had such an odd tone in his voice where it was some how aggressive and mellow at the same time. His flow was absolutely sick, and no one would mistake that someone out performed him on this track. However, Brown managed to still kill this track. I always love having his voice on a track, because it is something different and always adds an aspect of creativity to any situation. As much as I hate to say it, without the first two rappers, this song would be garbage. No one else is even slightly notable, so you may find yourself fast forward after the second verse, and I can't blame you. 12. Orbz a.k.a Some Wise Quotes Drake Never Said Unlike most of the other tracks, this song is mostly more of the same. The rapping is still as incredible as it is on every other track, and the title is amusing. The downfall is just how long it is. With no defining characteristics that go along with this song, it is easily forgettable, and is really the only track you can afford to skip. That being said I would not at all advise a skit as eXquire still performs very well. Just don't say I didn't let you know when this song drags on a minute or two too long. 13. Never Running Again This song is cool, but is just a few seconds over a minute. eXquire explains all of the running he's been forced to do in his life, literally, and metaphorically. His flow is nuts on this song, and we get an introspective view on eXquire, which is always fun because he is an eccentric guy. One problem I have is that the track gets quiet and eventually ends while he's still rhyming. I don't know if this was a snippet and there is more to the song I definitely wish it was on this tape. I can't imagine him having more to say and cutting himself off on his own mixtape, but that sounds like exactly what happens. 14. Ozwald's Moment This is a skit. You can listen to it if you want but you don't need to. It is cool, and I feel as if the narration is what is going on in eXquire's mind, but that is all I got from this. 15. Paper Hearts Holy mother of God this track is incredible in every way that one could imaginably wish to judge a song in. The first verse we really just get what eXquire is about and that he only lets God judge him. He knows how good he is and basically telling all the people that don't believe in him to blow him. I believe what he is saying when he says that labels and other artists have a phony front that eXquire isn't talented so they can save themselves. If eXquire got enough of a name he could end any rappers career, and be a serious problem in the game. After the first run of the hook we get a definition of paper hearts. If you thought you knew what it meant rethink that because it has nothing to do with paper or hearts. The beat slightly changes at the beginning of the second verse, and this verse is all about his childhood, come up, and introduction to rap. From the lyrics, to the flow, the beat, and the hook, this might be my favorite track in 2013. 16. Studio (ft. Goldie Glo, & Cokey Briccz) [ BONUS] I didn't know mixtapes could have bonus tracks, and I don't get the point, because with or without this track the tape is still free. Regardless this is on the version I got so I must give my commentary. Much like the other Goldie song, this is a more mainstream themed song, with a very basic repetitive hook. Hearing this song after Paper Hearts, it just can't live up to the expectation set by that track. And honestly, this track has a very basic flow and lyrics. While I have no problem with it, I don't think it is very good by any means. Rating: 4/5 This is the most complete mixtape I have ever heard. It is so cohesive as a project that I am baffled that eXquire didn't try to make a lot of money off of it. There are really no slip ups on this tape, and the replay value is incredible. I usually find the time in my day to listen to it in its entirety, which is rare for any project. This is another case where if I were to redo my top five list, this would be very near the top. This is my second favorite release of the year, only second to Rn The Jewels. If you don't download this mixtape right after reading this I will be personally offended. As a matter of fact if you are bold enough not to download this shit now, I want a two page letter on why you are shitting on my opinion, and everything I stand for. Not only will you thoroughly enjoy this, but it will open your eyes, and give you hope for a world in which newly released hip-hop doesn't suck. Nothing about his appearance and demeanor would indicate the sheer brilliance that he was about to spit, but trust me, he is smarter, and more talented than most rappers out. Kid god damn motherfucking Cudi. Yeah, you man. You known damn well that I hate your music, and your douchebag personality certainly hasn't helped the case either. Regardless, I've already started your discography (regrettably) and I feel forced to at least look over the first two albums. Yeah, don't act like WZRD was hip hop either, its not getting past me.
Okay, that last paragraph was horrible in every way imaginable, I admit it. For a reviewer that is supposed to be unbiased, that was pretty awful. I'm not going to try and hind anything, though. Anyone that knows me is aware of my particular distaste towards Scott. The thing is, that's my opinion in the current day character and what he's making nowadays. I may have given Indicud a one star rating (still think that was generous) but you don't know how I view his debut, Man On The Moon. If you can make conclusion, you'll probably realize that I'm just trying to make up for my diatribe against Kid Cudi in the first paragraph. Oh well, if anything you'll see why exactly I don't like him and hopefully you won't get too aggravated. Like the majority of you all, A Kid Named Cudi, was my first Kid Cudi experience. That's a mixtape to be exact, which means I don't feel obligated to include it on the site. My quick-to-jump-to-conclusions-although-I'm-usually-right self saw him as a whiny, self absorbed, fame hating asshole who had a particular liking towards marijuana. That wasn't a huge problem, though. I listen to that kind of music all the time, but there was something about this guy that just got under my skin. I mean c'mon man, you don't even have a real job, the least you could do is act like you're enjoying just a little. This album came out and I didn't listen to it, partially because if the title, which is stupid as shit. The fact that he thought it would be necessary to separate the album into five separate parts was pretty alienating as well. Ok Scott, this music shit isn't that serious. Well, one thing led to another and I ended up giving this a spin. I'm still not sure exactly what made me do it but it came to a point were he just couldn't be ignored. After this project alone, he was able to gather together one of the worst fan bases in contemporary music and have hundreds of twitter parody accounts created for him. If I'm not mistaken, this also sold over five hundred thousand copies making him the most notable artist out of Cleveland. (Sorry Bone Thugs n Harmony, but your time has passed) I guess one could consider a Grammy nomination an achievement, but after Take Care won best rap album last year, I have a hard time caring about that type of thing. HBO was in on the mix as well by giving him his own show. Good job guys, another ego boaster is exactly what the man needs. Long story short I listened to it... Act I: The End Of Day 1. In My Dreams (Cudder Anthem) First of all, it bewilders me that a guy who hasn't even released a full length album deserves his own anthem, but I'm nit picking. Instead, Cudi gives the listeners a taste of what they will be listening to for the rest of the album, or at least I think that's what the intro is supposed to do. He pretty much talks about how everything is perfect in his dreams, including his singing. Keep in mind that we can actually listen to this shit and easily realize that its far from ideal. The musical backdrop isn't bad at all, at least for an intro, but that means Scott is already getting shown up. The song is ended with some narration from Common, who can't seem to find anything better to do nowadays. Unfortunately, it looks as though this will be a concept album. Not that I dislike those type of projects, but there's no way this is done well. Bad start. 2. Soundtrack 2 My Life I applaud his attempt to make more of an experimental sound that most of his listeners will be unfamiliar with. I'm just not that listener. Sadly for him, experimental hip hop is kind of my thing and I can tell whether or not it sounds good, which is exactly why Yeezus was also a failure. It does work a bit here, though. I'm always a fan of No I.D., who nicely lays a surface for Kid Cudi to pretend like he's a lyricist. Mescudi's lyrics come off as insincere and entirely unrelatable, as he talks about his issues that nobody can see. Problem is, is virtually impossible for anyone to relate when you don't name your damn problems. All I got was that his dad died, which is obviously devastating, but it seems like he would get over it, or at least to the point where it doesn't consume your entire life. This also should have been placed towards the end of the album, where we know Cudi better. Since it comes so early, I have no reason to care about your problems. Sorry broski, its not that easy to gain my interest. 3. Simple As... Kid Cudi does the best thing possible, which is making a song that is actually pretty damn good. Can't front that much, I do enjoy this song. A lot of that may come from the fact that it is such as change of pace compared to the last couple song. The "1,2,3" and "A,B,C" sample gets annoying quickly but No I.D.'s simple beat makes it listenable. Cudi sounds pretty nice too, as he delivers a couple quick verses where he doesn't sound completely miserable. If there's one thing I've learned, its that Cudi sounds ten times better when he's just talking shit, and not crying. He may have sensed that I was enjoying things, so he told Common to go and deliver another interlude, which nearly ruins the song. I'll give it a pass, though. Act II: Rise Of The Night Terrors 4. Solo Dolo (Nightmare) Cudi starts off the second act with an eerie Emile production. Now, on to our main host. His vocals may seems to be somewhat nightmarish, but that's only because of the beat. Don't let him fool you, his singing would sound right at place over the instrumental of "Simple As...". This isn't a hip hop song, though, and shouldn't be looked at as one. Its closer to R&B but there's no real way to categorize this. I guess that's a success, as he seems to be really into this whole creating another genre thing. Like I said, the beat is actually pretty dope, but is entirely ruined when Cudi attempts to rap. Gargling on mayo may mean something to you, but I'm at a loss for words. Next please. 5. Heart Of A Lion (Kid Cudi Theme Music) I know I questioned the usage of his anthem earlier but apparently he thinks so much of himself that he also deserves his own theme music as well. Honestly, I'm pretty indifferent towards the song. Yes, that's definitely a win for the Cudder. If I call your songs decent and consider it a win, well I guess you can guess where the rest of this review is going. Nothing really worth writing about other than how incredibly cheesy most of the lyrics come off. Still, I don't hate this song. 6. My World (Feat. Billy Cravens) Cudi has a devious plan to rule the entire world, but lets us all in on his plan. This was actually pretty good in comparison to the last time I heard it. One of the only occurrences where Cudi is able to lay consistent bars without sounding corny as hell. I really don't even know why they brought it Billy Cravens, as all he does is continuously yell out "This will be my world".Not to discredit him, but Cudi could have done that himself. Best of all is that he gives some sort of reasoning behind his bizarre hatred towards the world. I mean he says is that he got bullied and shit and how he hated all his bosses. Sorry dude, but that's just how life fucking works. Don't act like you've gone through some other worldly bullying. I'll stop now, though. Remember that I did like the song. Act III: Taking A Trip 7. Day N Night (Nightmare) Yeah, you've all heard this one, as it single handedly (I tried to think of some clever way of saying that but it just wasn't happening) broke him through onto the mainstream radio waves. Five years later the song sounds exactly how I remember it. Cudi rhymes in third person as he tells of a lonely stoner searching for something. I've never really cared enough to find out exactly what that something is. You know why this actually became a hit? No, it wasn't because of Dot Da Genius' decent instrumental, nor was it because of Cudi's performance. No, it was actually a Crookers remix that lifted this song to its crazy level of popularity. Remember the one with the blaring sirens in the background? Well that's the one that you heard so you really should. I must admit that it is the type of shit that would go good in that type of club, which I'm sure is what they were going for. I doubt anyone was listening to it for Cudi's groundbreaking lyrics. The remix was so popular that they didn't even bother calling it a remix but rather "Day N Night". Anyways, this makes for a less than enjoyable listen while in the context of the album. 8. Sky Might Fall Oh man Cudi really out did himself on this one. These albums have always had some pretty good production. In fact that's the only reason I haven't turned this off yet and just guessed as to how the remaining songs would sound based on the titles. Now that I think about it, that actually might be pretty be fun. Back to the point, Cudi is able to secure himself a really nice beat, but his presence completely ruins the track. That's right, he ruins songs by simply being in them. He makes sure that I know that he really doesn't give a fuck about me, as indicated by his "none of this matters" lyrics. Seems to be stuck in the stoner personality of the last song, but I guess that's the theme of this little act. It doesn't matter, this song is depressingly bad. 9. Enter Galactic (Love Connection II) What. The. Fuck. Is. This. I've heard this song before, but I'm always just blown away by the rediculous level of horse shit that my ears have just been subjected to. In all my years of listening to rap (I've just about covered it all) this is right up there at the top of my "worst love songs ever" list. The instrumental is obviously going for another club feel, with a little bit of corniness to even things out. It sucks. Cudi's lyrics just sound like he's lying straight to my face with the absurd things he thinks of. It sucks. The only uplifting thing is that Cudi isn't completely depressed, which is good for his own sake. Then Commons stupid ass shows up again to ruin the song even more. Avoid this one at all costs. Act IV: Stuck 10. Alive (Nightmare) (Feat. Ratatat) Just for good measure, Cudi teams up with electronic rock group Ratatat, in another attempt to prove to all of us that this just isn't another rap album. The thing is, I don't care at all what genre you are. The fact is that I'm listening to you and I just want some good music. The instrumental is a little repetitive, but is actually done very well, courtesy of our guests. Cudi sounds worse than usual, which is saying something. If you're trying to make another genre, then go for it. Just don't try an act like you're a lyricist. Not even the biggest Cudi fans will claim that he's a good rapper. "Alive" just ends up being another bad song in the middle of the album. 11. Cudi Zone I'm losing my damn mind listening to this shit. Don't think Cudi could have gotten any cheesier after that last Enter Galactic song? Well you're wrong! Cudi hates you too and forces you to hear this horseshit. I guess I shouldn't use the word "forced". Its completely your choice whether or not you listen to this. Cudi's actual rapping on here isn't all that bad and suits the beat fine, but that hook discredits anything good he could have ever done. It's that bad. You know how I've referenced how Scott takes this music too seriously? Well, one would think that seriousness would translate into him realizing how horrible this song is. Whatever man, fuck this album. 12. Make Her Say (Feat. Common & Kanye West) I never thought I'd say it, but thank God Kanye found his way into the album. Anything is better than listening to Cudi's voice. Common's fine too, but I've had just about enough of him also. The songs subject is now fairly frowned upon, as it deals in large portion to getting your dick sucked. Cudi sounds average as hell and gets completely destroyed by the other two rappers, especially Kanye, who actually spits a really good verse. Unfortunately, Lady Gaga is the highlight of the song, and she's a fucking sample. All three manage to make sex sound horrible and disgusting, which is not what I'm looking for whenever I listen to music. Yet another bad song in a series of unfortunate events. 13. Pursuit Of Happiness (Nightmare) (Feat. MGMT & Ratatat) Another song you've already heard. I'm just going to say it, a large reason people feel inclined to like Kid Cudi is this song right here, as they assume that the rest of his music is just as good. This was pretty decent when I first heard it but has since become very annoying. That's not really a shot at the song, though. When you play a song as much as my friends like to play this, it's almost impossible to like it. Also, I can't even listen to this shit without seeing that stupid music video in my head. I guess that also says something about the video since it managed to stick with me for so long but i still hate it. For a single, this track actually fits pretty nicely into the context of the album but that really doesn't make it much better. Act V: A New Beginning 14. Hyyerr (Feat. Chip The Ripper) Who said I wanted more?!!!?! (highest of props to you if you caught that roots reference) 15. Up, Up, And Away Cudi finishes up his debut with yet another song about weed. (that last song was too, but I obviously didn't care enough to write about it) Out of all the songs on here, this is probably the most un-rap, which might be a good thing because this hip hop shit clearly isn't working very well for him. Instead, we get a full out emo-stoner track that is only good to be placed to that terrible Kick Start commercial. This track isn't terrible but the last thing it did was impress me. That's all I've got. Rating: 1.5/5 What can I say guys, I'm always right. Kid Cudi's Man On The Moon: End Of Day sounds exactly like I remember, which means it sucked. Another listen only confirmed that the guy can't rap at all. No matter how much you like his music or how cool he sounds, I simply cannot see how someone could defend his rapping ability. He may be talented, but that doesn't mean anything when you can't put it to use. I mean, at least the guy is trying, but his efforts only result in a couple good tracks, which is a really bad ratio. The instrumentals are decent enough to give the album one and a half stars, but Cudi seems to ruin all of them by being way to cheesy and committing the cardinal sin of rapping: he's boring. If you search though all these song, you might find something you like, but it just doesn't seem worth it to me. There's much better music out there and there's really no reason to listen to any of these songs. Hopefully this will be my last journey through this mess. I'm coming at you today to talk about the new release from Tech N9ne. If you've been keeping up with this guy's career you know he releases about four Ep's and three "Collabo" albums a year, so a full-length lp is really exciting. His last full-length solo LP was, All 6's and 7's, which really got me into Nina in the first place, and after dipping further into his discography I have to say I am a full fledged Technician. Not just an avid listener,but the type of guy who could recite the pledge at any time if asked. So needless to say, upon talk of this album's release I was pumped up. Then when I saw this cover I basically lost my mind. I mean, look at that! That might just be the coolest cover I have ever seen in my life. I saw a track listing too, and nothing about this album was did anything but excite me more.
Like most of Tech's recent work, he had a lot of guest features. With all of his Strange Music comrades, plus other well known artists such as, KRIT, Kendrick Lamar, and Game, this album had more features than songs. With all these guests it may lead you to believe this album would be disjointed. Too many artists can lead to a sloppy finished product, along with Tech N9ne claiming this project would be a mesh of many genres in one, which also may lead one to believe the project wouldn't be cohesive. Fortunately Tech is a musical genius, and I have complete confidence he can pull this off. Another cool thing to add about this album is that it is split into three parts, Fire, Water, and Earth. Tracks 2-10 being Fire, 11-13 being Water, and 14-21 being Earth. Each section has a different theme if you will, and it makes it a cool effect while you are playing this album. I could rant about my love for Tech for hours, but that wouldn't help you get a feel for this project, so I'll be moving on to the run down. 1. News With Mark Alford 1 As you can assume by the number one in the title, Mark Alford will be appearing in multiple news segments throughout the album. As far as skits go, this one is cool, and plays nicely into the theme. This isn't a concept album, but it definitely has an underlying theme to it. This is better than most intro skits, which isn't saying much. 2. Straight Out The Gate (ft. Serj Tankian & Krizz Kaliko) While Kaliko is a credited feature for backup singing on the hook, make no mistakes, that is the voice of former System of a Down front man, Serj Tankian. It opens with a classroom of kids creepily saying the Technician pledge to some really cool pipe organs. The guitar sample on the beat is really cool, and Tech brings the classic flow he is famous for. The epic drums are pretty cool, and Kaliko adds a nice effect on the hook to make Serj's singing sound even cooler than it is. If you have never heard Nina spit, this is a great way to start, as it is classic flow and lyrics from his standpoint. The hard electric guitar on the third verse, accompanied by the added harshness in Tech's voice makes for an awesome effect. Overall very good way to start an album. 3. B.I.T.C.H ( ft. T-Pain) When I saw the name of the track, and the feature I got a bit nervous. Fortunately the title is an acronym for, Breaking In To Colored Houses, because Tech is attempting to crossover to gain a black audience. This is a track about Tech gaining a black audience because unlike most rappers he started out with a white following because of the darkness in his lyrics. This song isn't the best, but at least we didn't get a song about bitches by Tech and T-Pain. 4. With The BS (ft. Red Cafe, Trae Tha Truth, and Big Scoob) So Tech Spits a verse about needing money, which is dope as hell, but also confusing. Tech has money, no doubt about it, so I am confused as to why he would think it will be a struggle to pay for his child's education. This is a bumping beat that would sound awesome in some car speakers, but is fairly average. Everyone else raps about being with the Bullshit tonight,and basically getting wild. Why Tech was on a completely different topic, I have no fucking clue, and for that reason this song just doesn't feel complete. It sounds like a Big Scoob song that Tech put a random verse on. 5. Love 2 Dislike Me (ft. Liz Suwandi, & Tyler Lyon) This song is a crazy mixture of soft rock,metal, and hip-hop.Tech raps very harshly over the very heavy metal guitar, and the hook switches quickly from soft rock to metal. Some people will think this track is too much, but it clicks perfectly for me. While all these genres are just thrown together, I feel like they fit very well together, and on top of all that, the theme of the song is an emotional one. Once again, this won't be for everyone, but I think that it is a great listen. 6. Fortune Force Field Well would you look at that, not a single feature, hallelujah. Anyone else on this track would ruin it completely. The hook to this track is really cool, and it gives you an honest feeling of going to battle. I'm sure any artist who has been forced to go independent has felt like this. He compares his feeling of having these ideas he can't put out with having a baby but not giving birth to it, which is a cool analogy that helps everyone understand what he is feeling. The soft tone of rapping and acoustic guitar on the beat go together perfectly, and i cannot understand not liking this track. 7. I'm Not A Saint The soulful sample on the hook, and throughout most the song is really cool. It kind of gives you the effect of a reverend preaching, and it sounds nice. Tech tells a story of his imperfections which end up getting really deep. He includes when he had an affair with his closest friends girl, and then he died before they could fully patch things up. He also includes a past demon of his, being sexually abused by his middle school teacher, whose name is censored for legal reasons. 8. Fragile (ft. !Mayday!, & Kendrick Lamar) This song has a very basic beat, that includes a simple drum line, and some guitar. I feel like you could hear this beat in a coffee shop, and it adds a calming effect to the track. The singing from !Mayday! on the first verse and hook is fantastic, and Tech follows up with a very good verse. He flows more quickly than he has on most of the album to this point, and does so very well. However, the true star of this song is Kendrick Lamar. The way he basically screams on this soft beat sounds awesome. His entire verse is very well done. This song, unlike most of the previous ones, will be for everyone. There is enough of everything to please any fan. 9. Priorities (ft. Game, & Angel Davanport) The beat of this song is actually someone apparently running from the police. And the three rappers go back and forth with very small verses. The intensity continues to build throughout the entire song and it eventually ends with a giant crash. This is a very short track about minorities getting unfair treatment from the law enforcement, and gets the point across nicely. 10. News With Mark Alford 2 We get an update on the state of the city which helps move the albums theme along nicely. I personally like what these skits add to the album. The most interesting part is when a deep voice at the end booms, "Water," and we are introduced to the second part of the album. 11. Dwamn To avoid confusion that is not a typo. It is damn with a wam on it. Basically when you are extremely impressed you yell, Dwamn. In most cases it is referring to a females ass, which makes me laugh quite a few times. We can tell that the mood in Water is much lighter, and the theme is women. This isn't a very good song, but come on, yell dwamn and see if you don't get any amusement from it. The shit is fun as hell, and for that reason this track isn't terrible. 12. So Dope (They Wanna) [ft. Wrekonize, Snow Tha Project, & Twisted Insane) This song has a very creepy vibe to it on the verses. It is a song about sex that has a dark beat, so you can see where I'm coming from with the creepy thing. All of the rappers chop up the beat fantastically, and while the subject matter is basic, this lead single showcases the speed and talent of all the involved rappers. 13. See Me (ft. Wiz Khalifa & B.O.B.) This is the most obvious radio attempt on the album. Tech spits well, but the beat is very radio friendly, and Wiz is garbage. B.O.B. unfortunately does nothing, but sing that annoying hook. I have to say that this is my least favorite track so far on the album from all aspects. Fortunately Water is over, as the voice once again booms, Earth. 14. My Haiku- Burn the World (ft. Krizz Kaliko) For those who don't know a haiku is a basic poem. Tech's happens to be about pedophiles dying, which I'm all for. We then get to the song, which I say with solidarity is great. Tech spits amazing emotional verses about everyone getting together to light the world and stop pedophilia. Tech once again references when he was sexually abused as a child, and uses that insight to really grab the audience. The subject matter is fantastic, and the rapping matches it. Krizz Kaliko shines on the hook, and delivers a good verse as well. Who knew Krizz had that voice. Tech's last verse is an attempt to rally everyone to keep these horrific crimes from continuing, and it is a great verse. This is a highlight of the album. 15. That's My Kid (ft. CeeLo Green, Big K.R.I.T., & Kutt Calhoun) Here is another track with great subject matter. Tech talks about setting a good example to his kids, and always keeping an eye on what they are doing. He talks about his stories as a parent, and it is very insightful to the listener. The hook by CeeeLo is well sang, but a bit on the corny side. K.R.I.T. delivers a similar very well written verse, and then we have Kutt. If I'm listening right, Kutt has eight children he's taking care of. Well done Kutt you are the father of the year. The little girl at the end of the track is the cutest thing that has ever happened if I may add. 16. Meant To Happen (ft. Scoop Deville) The Scoop hook sounds like a vinyl sample, which sounds really cool. The rest of this song is plain depressing. It is another fantastic song, but Tech takes us through the horrors of his life. Including his mom being stood up by his father and beginning a history of epileptic seizures. The next is Tech and his Aunt facing a gunman in the middle of the night. Tech ends the song by accepting the darkness in his life and almost thanking it for helping him gain fame. After all Tech's rhymes are often based on the darkness in his life, and for that reason, it was all meant to happen. 17. Mark Alford News 3 Well hey Mark. This man has the most stereotypical anchor man voice. He wraps up his three-part news story with a happy ending, and we all look fondly back on Mark Alford. You go Mark! 18. Believe Out of all the features on this album, it baffles me that this female singer goes unaccredited. I'm sorry female singer, you deserve more. That aside Tech delivers my favorite track on the album. The beat is just epic enough not to be corny. And the hook reminds me of the song Skyfall by Adele which is awesome. Tech N9ne lightens the mood and encourages everyone to ban together for a better future, which sounds corny, but it comes out great. Something Tech did on this album that I like is preach much more positive messages to his very real cult-like following. 19. R.I.P. Ray Tech N9ne reminiscing on his experience with meeting a member of The Doors who is now sadly deceased, you know what I'm sizzling? 20. Strange 2013 (ft. The Doors) I am not familiar with the music of the doors, but I have to assume they coined the term Strange Music or something. The hook provided by Jim Morrison is awesome, and The beat is very classic rock mixed with hip-hop. This is the last track on the album, and Tech basically says he is hear, and Strange Music isn't going anywhere any time soon. This is a great way to end the album on a happy, high note. 21. SMB Straaaaaaaange Music Bitch! Rating: 3.5/5 This album has something for everyone, and will satisfy all Tech N9ne fans. If you have never heard a Tech song I advise starting somewhere else, because this is an album for the fans in my mind. Tech continues to try new things, and they continue to work for the most part. As Strange music expands and continues increasing popularity I can only See more Techinina in the future. I would recommend a purchase here, but once again not as your first taste of this artist. He has albums such as K.O.D. and even, All 6's and 7's that will better ease you into his style. Overall as a fan I am satisfied by the project, and that is all you can ask from an artist. If you know me, or at all familiar with the blog then you should be aware of my slight obsession with New York rapper El-Producto, known by his mother as El-P. This being the case, it was only a matter of time before this album popped up. For those unaware, Company Flow is El's first group and their first and only album they released, making for one of the more hilarious and wordy title/artist label in my iPod. It's considerable to be an underground classic, but by now you should know that doesn't mean shit to me. Company Flow actually does not only consist of El-P. Nope, it would be a horrible move on my part if I didn't note that there was another rapper, Big Jus, and the local DJ, Mr. Len. El and Len initially brought up the idea and Jus ended up tagging along because lets face it, what the hell else would he be doing. Together they would form the group Company Flow, self described as being "Independent as fuck". That alone should give you an idea as to how the albums going to sound. Unfortunately, this was the only full length album the crew ever blessed us with. No, that instrumental tape doesn't count, but should not be completely dismissed. Funcrusher plus is anything but accessible and has been labeled as one of hip hops most polarizing albums. Id honestly have to agree with "them" on that one, as I've never heard of someone say that it was just alright. you either love or hate this thing. For people on the positive side of the spectrum, it's easy to tell why they like it. Simply, it's just pretty awesome. The beats were grimy, but innovation at the same time. Lyrically, most of these bars can't be touched. El and Jus torch the mainstream but multiple listens may be required if you even want to know what the hell they just said. Then of course, there's the people that hate good music. Funcrusher plus has long been named the king of backpacker music and nerd rap. While I do disagree, I know exactly where all that's coming from. But all that's bullshit, right? Might as well see how it sounds today... 1. Bad Touch Example Well, Company Flow certainly waste no time on the introduction. Oh wait, you thought that molestation skit was unnecessary? Yeah, we're pretending it didn't happen. Well, fuck me, it looks like I'm the one bringing it up and have consequently shot myself in the foot. But seriously, ignore it. El's production work is a little unsettling at first, as it is the framework to the dark subject of child abuse and is backed by some murky horns and heavy bass. Right off the bat, it's also clear that neither rapper is a slouch. El-P wasn't the walking dictionary that he is today but you could see that train coming. You might not know what anyone is actually saying but this track is still enjoyable. 2. 8 Steps To Perfection No, your copy doesn't just sound like shit, the audio quality of Funcrusher Plus is rather terrible but you can pick up the re-release if you care that much. I personally like the feel but I know that's probably just me. In regards to the song, this might have been one of the singles. Either that or it just became oddly popular, as I tend to see a lot of people saying that it was their favorite song. You know what you're listening to so don't be surprised when none of these songs have a hook. But C'mon guy, who needs hooks when you've got some good old fashion rapping. Definitely a highlight of the album and one of their more important songs. 3. Collude / Intrude (Feat. J. Treds) This song features one of the rare guest appearances, J Treds. I have not even the slightest iota as to what his story is so I wont pretend to be some kind of fan. For all I know he's one of those weird ant thing on the cover that Mr. Len managed to bring to life. Both artists seem to rhyme for an absurd amount of time and end up stumbling over their own words. This onslaught of words definitely become tiring at a point but the production keeps things interesting. Ehh, take or leave this song. 4. Blind This song features another rare occurrence, but this time is comes in the form of a hook. If you've been listening you know that this the first one, and it's a pretty good one at that. Big Jus doesn't do much for himself and El-P shows why he's the far better rapper in this little crew, showcasing his dark sense of humor. The beat is also a little lack luster as a whole and this song ultimately slows down some of the albums momentum. Still cool, though. It's not like this song is even close to worse than anything on the new Rich Gang album. Sorry for low blow but I had to find some way to tell everyone my opinion on the record. God knows that shit won't be appearing on the site. 5. Silence You know how I just finished up saying how Bug Jus was the worse rapper? Well Company Flow thought now would be the best time to give him a solo efforts. Thankfully, he doesn't blow it and recaptures my interest. In his rapping at least, it's not like I've been bored. El-Producto's work on the boards is admirable as well. The song as a whole is really nice and gets the album back on the right track. 6. Legends And we've reached one of the better songs of 1997. Most people would probably just see this as just another song in the midst of a really long ass album, but for some reason I gravitated towards this after my first listen. El-P's lyrics just blew me away and this became my go-to-song whenever I wanted to throw on some Funcrusher pPlus. Lines like "Fucking with your theology like Darwinism in the bible belt" were just dope as hell to me. I will say that this song and the album as a whole opened the lane for underground artist to just complain about how bad the mainstream is, which made it ok for them to feel sorry for themselves. The difference was, Company Flow actually sounded good when they were doing it and not like some weird emo band. 7. Help Wanted Well hot damn, haven't all been waiting for an interlude. I'm not even being sarcastic there. The amount of words I've just processed is insane and my brain needs a few minutes to recuperate. I have no doubt in my mind that this means something but I just didn't get it. Skipable on most days. 8. Population Control The level of goodness on this album just skyrocketed, as we reach an absolutely undisputed underground classic. El-P's production is simple (compared to his other work) but stays menacing at the same time. Big Jus actually steals the show as he closes his verse by saying that he "secretly teaches background vocals at R&B clinics" I was very amused by that. Also, if you listen close enough, you can hear a young R.A. The Rugged man yelling during the hook, but his feature goes uncredited, which I have never understood. An amazing song in all areas. 9. Lune TNS Straight from the beginning, you're going to realize that the instrumental sounds much more conventional, or accessible to other hip hop fans. Well, that's because Big Jus contributed his lone production here and im actually quite impressed. If anything it was a nice little way to change up the tempo. Lyrically, Jus throws around names of all the famous graffiti artists from New York, none of which you will know of. That obviously makes the song a bit tough to get into, but Jus makes sure to let you know that he doesn't care, ending the song with, "For niggas that don't understand, this obviously wasnt made for you, so fuck you" Well thanks a lot Jus, it's not like I just went out and bought your damn album or anything. I think this may have been my core reasoning for my particular distaste towards Big Jus, but this song is still really good. 10. Definitive I'm not sure if El-P's label Definitive Jux had been created at the time or this was just a precursor. Either way I think the title has something to do with the label. That's not the point, though. The point is that this is another fantastic song that is highlighted by the brilliant production. The hook left a lot to be desired, as it states, "it's just the chorus, it's just the chorus", but I stopped really caring about that a long time ago. Mr. Len contributes some really nice scratches, as it's always nice to hear KRS-ONE pop up evey once in a while. 11. Lencorism The cleverly play on the word "Cencorism" would indicate that this is the mandatory DJ cut. That does happen to be the case but Mr. Len goes ape shit so im not complaing. 12. 89.9 Detrimental We get another fairly short song after that last DJ cut, which makes it feel like this album is going by faster. El-P turns in a cool little radio freestyle, but this song isn't all that notable. What is noable is that there has been only one occurrence where every member has been featured in the song. I don't know how I feel about that but it does give each member a chance to shine without being upstaged. 13. Vital Nerves (Feat. BMS) Well, good job guys you've found someone even more obscure than the last feature, which is no small feat. The man with a moniker of Blue Mountain State actually delivers a quality verse and isnt a stand out bad decision. Anyways, this song is just the tits. El's production on here may be my favorite on the whole damn album. Also, this may be the most structured rap song, as El spits an actual 16 bar verse. Hell, there's even a bridge! He does lay another 400 bar verse at the end, but who cares? This song is awesome. 14. Trajedy Of War (In III Parts) Finally, the rock has come back! Sorry, I typed out "finally" and couldn't contain myself. On the real, El-Producto and Big Jus finally reunite and show us all why they work so well together. To make things even better, Mr. Len even tags along, making it one of the few cases where every member appears on the song. That just a recipe for success, as everyone does their thing, making this another highlight. Lets face it, the whole album is a highligh, aside from a few songs. 15. The Fire In Which You Burn (Feat. Breezly Brewin' & J Treds) Heres the only case where any of you could have possibly heard of the song. Its unlikely, but this is one of the most famous underground hip hop songs ever. Yes, it completely deserves all of its praise. Everyone in the song actually sounds really good together and it was kinda funny hearing Breezly Brewin' over this type of song. Anyone else a fan of A Prince Among Thieves? Anyone? I'm demanding today that these four along with Killer Mike make a collaborative album entitles Sprint The Diamonds. If any of that comes to fruition, you heard it here first. 16. Krazy Kings "Krazy Kings" ends up being the latter of the best one-two punch on the albums. While not as known as the last song, this is still an underground classic that deserves to be recognized by a larger audience. The beat is darker and murkier but it still carries enough character to help out the Big Jus on his rhyming adventures. Possibly his finest hours as he builds upon his earloer graffiti rap. 17. Last Good Sleep For the first time on the entire album, we learn that El-P is human and not just an anti mainstream word generater that can throw together punchlines. Instead, we hear a very emotional story about how his dad used to abuse his mother. Ive always found it a little odd that then decided now was the best time to thrown in this personal song but that doesn't take away any of the greatness from this song. El can do it all 18. Info Kill II El-P and Big Jus' last attempt at rhyming is a great one, showing why they are able to attack the mainstream. They can certainly back it up. The beat is murky and atmospheric, which is obviously thier kind of thing. El-P ends the show with one final yell, as he lays down a forty bar monster that would even impress Cappadonna during his "Winter Wars" days. If you've made it up to this point, I can't imagine you not liking this song. 19. Funcrusher Scratches Just another DJ cut that reminds me how much we need this shit on new records. Pretty good way to close the show Rating: 4.5/5
Well there you have it. There's not much that hasn't already been said so I'll tell you right now that you need to go out and buy a copy of this one. It's an underground classic and your collection will automatically look better with this included. Its truly one hell of a listening experience, but I know it wont be for everyone. You're going to need to really sit with it and look at the lyrics if you want to get the most out of the album. If you're not into that, well that's cool too because the instrumentals are more than enough to keep you entertained. My only real problems is that's it's pretty inaccessible and there's some parts on the album that really seem to drag on. You have to admire the fact that these guys even had the balls to put this out, as it completely goes against the grain. So buy several copies and hope they decide to make another album. I wanted to take a few minutes out of my day to remind you all that The Night's Gambit is awesome. KA is a New York based artist that none of you all know about, but that's why I'm writing this. For beginners, he gathered a small amount of success from his work in Natural Elements, and was first introduced to me as a guest feature on GZA's Pro Tools album. More recently, though, he's been surrounded by more attention than ever, mostly from his 2012 release Grief Pedigree, which showcased KA's subtle and quiet approach to the mic. Lyrically, he delivers your basic grimy New York content, rhyming about violence, drugs, and his past experiences. I know Roc Marciano isn't necessarily well know, but that's my best effort to compare him with someone you all may know.
The Night's Gambit opens with a skit, which would normally blow, but it's one of those cases where the skit is attached to another song. Anyways, I actually kind of dig it's wu tang approach. It seems like some kind of teacher or master tells his student that it's time to regain his lost honor. The character that I can only assume represents KA simply responds by saying, "Yes, I understand". In a lot of ways, that represents everything he's about. KA is straight to the point, not garnering for attention, but still manages to be complex. It's like you don't even realize that he's fucking your whole shit up until you think about what he just said. The same can be said about the instrumental, as it infuses the textbook grimy sound with an undescribable atmospheric feel. The character takes a big step in recapturing his supposed lost honor. Back to the previously mentioned Roc Marciano, he actually makes an appearance on here, as the two happen to be frequent collaborators. After hearing him rhyme next to KA, the conceded bastard that I am must say that I'm damn good at making comparisons. Anyways, Roc's smooth, razor sharp delivery cannot be mistaken as timidness. Instead, the both of them sound like a couple composed veterans that are projecting a great deal of confidence, rooted from their experience in the game. Still, I'd be lying if I said that KA's monotonous flow didn't get a little tiring at points. If he and Madlib decided to collaborate it could be confused as sonic chloroform. Actually, never mind that last statement. A project from those two would be must hear. The thing is, the album only hangs around for a mere eleven songs. KA works in plenty of material but makes sure to cut things off before you have a chance to get bored. Truly a genius move as he captures the listeners full attention like an excellent chess player capturing the opponents king. See KA, I can make chess references too! Speaking of chess, the frequent references and skits give this album an undeniably cohesive feel. In truth, all you need to know about the album comes from the cover, which features a menacing king piece staring over a beautifully crafted chess board. The king represents KA's lyrical mastery, while even the aesthetics of the board show the spacey and atmospheric production. I don't know, maybe that's just me. I'm never one to read too much into thing but that stood out to me. Perhaps the single most impressive aspect of the whole album is the way he puts the skits to good use. Not completely useless, they act as the glue that holds the album together. They all have a purpose and convey KA's complex thought process into a simple skit that we can all understand. All that obviously works into the wordplay of the title. The Knight of course representing the constant chess themes, while the "night" spelling underlines the dark and spacey feel of the music. More on that title, the word ''gambit'' isn't just thrown in there for shits and giggles. For those unfamiliar with chess, (hate to act like a know-it-all put school has forced me to play my fair share of the game) a gambit is a sacrificial piece, such as a throw away pawn. Well, that's a little metaphor for KA himself. While the character portrayed in the story is simply a gambit for the master to regain their lost honor, KA views himself as a sacrificial piece that's sole purpose is to save hip hop. Unfortunately, he will ultimately be viewed as a pawn of modern day music, ruled by the monopolized landscape of mainstream rap. KA sounds consistently confident, but can never shake the fact that he will never be able to succeed in his mission. Fortunately for anyone weird enough to stumble upon this album, his work should certainly do the trick as KA takes the classic feel of mid nineties hip hop and reinvents it in a fresh new way. Uncharacteristically, it appears as though I've gone into some ultimate dick riding mode, as I've made some conclusions that I doubt even KA was thinking about at the time. Sorry guys, I'm just in a good mood and this album is excellent. Now that I've acknowledged that, I'm comfortable being my usual ass hole self. You all know what that means, it's time for a little criticism. I know that I've continuously praised it, but some of the dark feel gets really repetitive. Yes, it does add to the themes of the album, but I'd appreciate even the slightest hint of variation. That goes for the production and KA, who would really benefit from some animation and emotion. That's just me, though and I'll always want more variation, but the instrumentals give me enough for it to not be a huge issue. That's honestly all I've got right now, as the pros of the album far outweigh the cons. So, yeah, you've got my full recommendation. It's not going to be for everyone, but I really encourage you to at least give it a shot. There's tons of wordplay and you're really going to study every single bar if you want the take away everything possible. That's the part that's inaccessible, but I enjoy that shit. I enjoy it so much that I'm giving the album a high four star rating. KA put his all into an album that he hoped would gain him a bigger fan base, while conveying a new style rap. All I can say is check mate. Rating: 4/5 Here we have a group that is very unfortunately unknown in the hip-hop world of today. This crew is known for their jazzy, melodic, and soft style, accompanied by intelligent lyrics. The west coast was on the rise because of their violent gangster rap, so The Nonce never truly caught on. They are often referred to as a Tribe Called Quest of the west. In a different setting this group could have been huge, but with one half of the group now deceased, they are nothing but a distant memory in hip-hop. They have the classic 80's New York feel that is what for many years ruled hip-hop, and they perform it to perfection. They obviously took more pride in this hip-hop than their own west coast style. I discovered this album on a blog similar to this one, so hopefully I can influence you as I have been influenced.
1. On the Air The beat is heavily jazz influenced, and has the soft drums and bass, along with a static sound to add to the radio theme of the song. This beat is perfectly complimented by the soft spoken style of the mcs on this track. The first rapper sounds especially good because his voice is more smooth and melodic. This track is just a tale of the guys trying to standout and make it with a different style. I am sure it is relatable for any artist trying to do just this. 2. Keep It On This song comes with louder drums, but both mcs are flat out louder. The smooth jazz is still heavily heard in the beat, though. The flow and lyrics are very good and are much more intelligent than many of the other rappers in the west at this time were capable of. The lack of violence and crime in the lyrics probably hurt them more than helped in the long run, but it still made for a great listen. 3. Bus Stops Apparently the fly girls take the bus where The Nonce lives, may not be the case now, but regardless this track is very fun. It's smooth and easy to listen to, and is much more relatable than most tracks about girls. It is about the group trying to get girls, while rich rappers usually just talk about honeys flocking to them, so this is really fun to listen to. 4. The West Is... At first listen this track was my favorite on the album. After about ten listens nothing has changed. The lyrics and flow are just crazy. I can't even pick an example out of the verses that would properly illustrate how sick the lyrics are. The first rapper is the best in my opinion, but the female on the second verse is nearly just as sick. They both just kill the track, not to take away from the third mc. This is a song that I think all people should listen to, because it is just incredible. 5. Mix Tapes The bass on this track is really dope if you have good speakers or headphones. The hook to this song is corny as hell and doesn't rhyme even at all, but this song tells a great story. Every line contributes to the story, as the mc tells how he graduated from selling tapes to becoming an mc. And then struggling as an artist. I love this track, and appreciate the story telling. 6. Testing A short fun little instrumental. Be careful though, if you listen to this more than once you will be singing, " testing testing testing testing" for the rest of your life. 7. World Ultimate In a rare case, the title track is actually a standout dope track on the album. The hook is just all sorts of fun, and the beat makes me flat out giddy. Much like the rest of the album, the rapper with the higher pitch voice murders the track. Not to put down the other guy, but he is just superior lyrically, and has a much better flow in my opinion. That being said both mcs still kill the shit and make this a dope track. 8. Good To Go Still very jazzy, this beat has a darker, more eerie feel if you will. Yusef (the higher pitch mc) comes out very aggressive and sounds awesome, and the hook he puts down is incredibly catchy. This is a very good track from all aspects, but nothing too special to note here. 9. On The Road Again The drums sound dope on this beat, and the vocalists on the hook sound nice, and that adds to the calming feeling in the song. This sounds like it could have come right off of a Tribe Called Quest album, which is a huge compliment from me. 10. Hoods Like To Play At this point while I'm still very much enjoying the album, the songs start to kind of run together, and are a little long. This is a very good track, but there isn't really anything I can say about it that I already haven't about a previous track. If I had to note something about the track, I'd like the point out that Yusef continues to anihalate these tracks. 11. J To The I This is a song that you put on to chill, and another song about women, and another good one. The theme is a common one, that there is no love between him and a woman he is with. Very chill song. 12. Eighty Five This is a great way to "end" the album (there is a remix track after that I don't really count as a track). I really can't find much on this track, but my guesses are that it may have been recorded in 85, or just given that cool static effect to give it a mid 80's vibe, either way very cool. 13. Mix Tapes (Remix) This is a really cool beat, and I like it better than the original. I guess back in 95 there were no Itunes deluxe editions, so this made the cut. The lyrics are the same, just a cool new beat, worth a listen. Rating: 3.5\5 As I eluded to earlier, Yusef is dead. What is so sad about that is the potential this group had. This was the only lp they ever released, and I can't begin to imagine how good they couldn't been. This is just as good as a Tribe Called Quest's debut, and we saw what they did afterward. I heavily encourage at least a download of this album. You're not going to find a physical copy for the life of you. There's a couple real ones floating along, but most of the shit you see is just the promotional tape. I hate to promote illegal downloading, but this is a case where that shit may be necessary. If for no other reason just to pay respect to Yusef. You will not regret listening to this, it is really good from top to bottom, with my only complaint being that it got a little boring towards the end. Tragedy struck the hip hop community on February 15, 1999, when up and coming rapper Lamont Coleman, better known as Big L, was senselessly gunned down. It's been stated that Lamont's death was the result of something his brother had done, but most of what happened that night is still a mystery. No one was charged with murder, and I highly doubt that's going to change. Unlike 2pac, or even Biggie, Big L wasn't gunned down in a place visible to the public. Instead, he was shot nine times on 139 & Lenox, the street he grew up. I'm not going to lie, it's a blow that hip hop has recovered from. L never achieved the same amount of fame as other nineties rappers, but there was no denying that he was only getting better. You can say this about all of our genres deceased legends, but this particular artist sure would have been something else if he would have made it to 2013. Part of the reason that people are so attracted to Big L's life is the mystery that surrounded him. His debut album, Livestylez Ov Da Poor & Dangerous was released in 1995, four years before his death. Albums take while to complete, we all know that, but it's still strange that he only managed to release one in his life time. Whether he was benefiting from being a rap icon (sort of) or perfecting his craft, we'll never know, but he also managed to do very little interviews during his life. As a result, no one really knows much about him and one can only wonder what was going through his mind while writing down some of the most complex and groundbreaking lyrics in hip hop history. Me personally, I've always had a fascination with the man. Out of all the great and legendary rappers that have passed away, none of them have grabbed my attention like Big L. If my memory serves me correct, I didn't really get into his music until I stumbled across The Big Picture, L's posthumous release. "Ebonics" got it's fair share of rotations in the up coming weeks, but by that time I was fully immersed in the album that is currently of topic. Of course I loved it, but I'll be the first one to admit that he was given some instrumentals that were nothing more than some damn horseshit. Some would argue that they add to the grimy, hardcore feel of the songs, but that's not true. Just because something is bass heavy and has horrible audio quality doesn't mean that it's grimy It's quite unfortunate that Big L suffered from Ras Kass syndrome. (that kids, is when you're incredibly lyrical and talented, but are force to rhyme upon beats synonymous with Vinnie Paz's voice) His debut carried enough one liners and compound rhymes to keep me coming back for more, though. Livestylez Ov Da Poor & Dangerous may have served as his debut, but he had already made a bit of a name for himself from his guest appearances. Well, at least a name in Harlem. In fact, he was already a member of two groups. The one most notable would be D.I.T.C. (acronym for Digging In The Crates), who actually had some rappers that you all might even know today. His second would be names, Children Of The Corn, a Harlem group consisting of his buddies Murda Mase, Killa Cam, Digga, Herb McGruff, and Bloodshed. A lot of his lyrics may tell you otherwise, but Lamont was a considerate guy. He tasted success, but he never forgot about his friends, as a large majority of them find their way onto his debut disc. Notice how they actually flow into the album as well and don't just come across as his weed carriers. I could go on and on about his life, but we've got an album to review, so let's get it started... 1. Put It On (feat. Kid Capri) Myself not included, this was the first Big L song that most people ever heard. It was released as the first single and actually got some decent radio play, which I find hilarious. There's no way in hell some thing like this would fly today, but 1995 was a different time. That being said, I know the label had to pick something to be a single and I guess this was the least violent. The video was pretty popular as well but all I can remember is L walking around town in a fully zipped raincoat during the middle of the summer. Adding to that, it appears that the only reason he got himself up at 7:00 was to walk around the streets and rhyme. This healthy habit may attribute to his rapping skills as well. Well yes, there is a song here and it's fucking awesome. 2. MVP Stealing lines from Big Daddy Kane is not a way to get on my good side, but I guess I'll let it slide. This was actually the albums second single that didnt do nearly as well as "Put It On". You're all familiar with Biggie, right? If that's the case then you'll notice the same loop from the "One More Chance Remix". I have no idea which one came first, but I will say that Biggie used it better. Not my favorite track but a lot of that could be attributed to, again, the video. Where as the last song had some quality visual effects, this one blows. No one wants to see Lamont being massage for the entire song, even if it is in black and white. All in all, I never cared for this all that much. I'm sure we could have found a much better track to promote him with. 3. No Ends, No Skins This is certainly a song that they wouldn't want to use to promote him to the public, but that doesn't mean that it's bad. The third song is essentially Big L's guide to picking up bitches and how they relate to his money. Kinda generic, but L throws in his style of humor, making the song more enjoyable. Like other rappers, though, Lamont don't love these hoes. He appreciates the effection, but good lord don't work up the nerve to ask him for a ring. He won't hesitate to pop a cap in your ass. (You can read those last couple of lines in a public service announcement voice, similar to Eminem's earlier intros) At least that's what he claims. I'd be shocked if one twenty fifth of his lyrics are true. Sensitive people beware, there talk of AIDS and raping bitches galore. 4. 8 Iz En Enuff (Feat. Buddah Bless, Herb McGruff, Killa Cam, Mike Boogie, Terra, Big Twan & Trooper J) Big L makes sure to spell this title ignorant as humanly possible. Seriously man, was that even needed? Anyways, this is the first of two posse cuts in the album, but this features the most rappers. Obviously eight rappers is going to make it difficult to make a good song. That's true as a majority of them aren't any thing special. The only interesting feature would be Killa Cam, who would actually go on to have a quite successful career. You know him today as Cam'Ron. That doesn't mean he sounds great one here, though, Big L destroys all his friends. The best thing about this track is that Buckshot managed to produce his first great instrumental of the album. With a booming bass and snare serving as the main instrument, this beat is flat out nasty and provides the crew with a great surface to start rapping. I enjoy this track but I can see where someone would be turned off. 5. All Black This is what they should have used to get L noticed. Noticed by the New York state police, that is. Big L tells some of the most vivid ways he can kill you, throwing in some classic one liners. I'd be lying if I said this didn't scare the shit out of me. There comes a point when listening to Big L that you sit back and say to yourself, "Man, this guy has actually killed several hundred people". I'll believe that when I see it, though. I'm holding on to the belief that Big L was a great guy. This instrumental kind of blow, though and I'm fairly indifferent on the track as a whole. Long story short: L can easily get all of your family together in the color that matches the title. And he's not talking about a motherfucking reunion. 6. Danger Zone (Feat. Herb McGruff) As previously stated, Big L grew up on 139th St. and Lenox Avenue. That's where the cover of this album was shot and eventually where he would be killed. Lamont and his buddies gave this the moniker of "The Danger Zone". This song serves as a fair warning of all the crazy ass shit that appears to be happening on a daily basis. These actions include, but are not limited to, shooting people in the face for giving L a bad look, mugging people for no reason, brutal rape, house invasion, and, yes, necrophilia. Keep in mind that all this shit is supposedly happening right in the middle of the street. Doubt I'll be making any stops by Harlem any time soon. Big L's performance is great but it doesn't take away from the boring as instrumental. 7. Street Struck Large Lamont decides to take a total U-Turn in terms of feelings. After that last track about robbing people and giving bitches AIDS, he decides to go over to the opposite side of the spectrum and show what it's like for a kid growing up in this area. I really like this song but I don't see it as the classic that others seem to. I think the reason for peoples attraction towards "Street Struck" is that this is the only case in L's life where we could see him be introspective. Still a pretty cool ass song, though. As of today, I also believe that there is a documentary in the works that carries the same name as this track. 8. Da Graveyard (Feat. Lord Finesse, Microphone Nut, Jay-Z, Party Arty, & Grandaddy I.U.) Something tells me that the last song may have been a little contrived, as L gets right back to business on the albums second posse cut. The first one was decent enough but this one is undeniably better. L seems to work in his D.I.T.C. crew for this once, with another certain guest feature that you could say is notable. Buckshot actually produces a damn good instrumental, but Lord Finesse surprised me the most here. Since he was kind of L's mentor, he shows everyone where he got his style from and actually outshines our host. This song also has an appearance from the deceased Party Arty. The big elephant in the room is that you may have seen Jay-Z in the features list. Yes, this is one of the earliest cases of Jay being outshined by everyone else in the song. Not that anyone was expecting anything much from him at this point but he was also just coming off being destroyed in Big Daddy Kane's "Show N Prove". Yes, that's how you work in a song from "Daddy's Home" on a Big L review 9. Lifestylez Of Da Poor & Dangerous God dammit Big L, you made me type out the name of the song again. That title is a play off of the show Life Styles Of The Rich And Famous. Notice how that's spelled correctly. L would later make a song addressing the fact that he couldn't spell at all, and chooses to use criminal slang. Anyways, we take leap to the socially conscience side. Not that memorable, but L shows how you can look smart but not lose your credibility. I want to like this song, but Lord Finesse's beat isnt doing a damn thing for me. 10. I Don't Undertand It Neither do I Lamont. L uses this song as an all out diatribe against the way hip hop works. He mostly questions why people tend to sell out after making such good music. When he was shot, Big L was one week away from signing with Roc-A-Fella. I wouldn't call that selling out but it would be very interesting to see how that would have turned out. Honestly, he probably would have quit rapping fairly early. If he was that confused about during 1995, he would be disgusted with today's product. We've all heard this story before, though and this one fails to engage me. 11. Fed Up With The Bullshit Unfortunately, this is another story thay we've all heard countless times. We know you don't like cops, but neither does anyone else in the hood. I'm on your side Big L, I really am, but you can't be surprised with the law after you've just been talking about killing hundreds of people, purposefully giving out aids, and necrophilia. (that's gotta be the one that got him) Ehh, not completely feeling this track, as this album is starting to reach the point of overkill. Im sure this would have been better if I was just listening to this, but in the context of the album, its not doing much for me. 12. Let 'Em Have It "L" After some of those meaningful and conceptual tracks, Big L ends the album with a classic battle rap song. In case you thought he had gotten soft, he come really hard on this one, as he shoots down sucka MCs. He's just flowing along with ease, and doesn't make the song all that serious. He lets us know that he would never be caught wearing polka dot clothing, he throws martial arts to the side, as he develops he own new art of gun-fu, and perhaps his most famous line: if we were to engage in a fight with him, it would be like fighting a gorilla in a phone booth. The beat is also fucking excellent, which was surprising to say the least. Fantastic way to end your debut album Rating: 3.5/5 (Very, large, meaty, and juicy 3.5. Like to the point where it's basically a four, but it's not. I promise that makes sense)
Livestylez Ov Da Poor & Dangerous was the only album released in Big L's life time, but it was enough to showcase that he was one if the better lyricists in hip hop history. Unfortunately, this album displays to perfection why rapping is only half the battle. While Big L is close to flawless, most of these beats are just terrible. Don't get me wrong, there's a few gems in there but for the most part, it takes a lot away from the album. Still, this is a great example of how underground rap sounded in 1995, with the exclusion on Puff Daddy. He follows the formula to perfection end it ended up doing its job, which was getting Big L noticed. There's some pretty big missteps, but aside from that, this shit is damn good. You should definitely go pick this up. I can't imagine it cost very much, especially if you're into used copies. At the very least, I guarantee you will enjoy some of his wordplay. |