Hip Hop Album Review: Talib Kweli & Hi-Tek - Reflection Eternal
January 4th, 2008
Buy Reflection Eternal
After releasing a handful of essential 12″ singles, on various Rawkus Records projects, Talib Kweli and DJ Hi-Tek were on the verge of becoming one of hip-hop’s best-kept secrets. Yet, they’re original incarnation (Reflection Eternal) was momentarily thwarted, as the duo expanded into a triumvirate with the inclusion of Mos Def; and their eventual manifestation as Black Star. While Kweli’s star may have been originally eclipsed by his more charismatic cohort, ‘Reflection Eternal’, will establish Talib as one of this generations most poetic emcees.
In a field of music that sorely lacks role models, Kweli is a rare species, as his edutaining lyricism resounds with a deeper understanding of life that transcends his tender-age. After helping rekindle hip-hop’s social-activist flame with Black Star, Kweli does not aspire to reprogram the masses with ‘Reflection’, just rehabilitate, as he laments on ‘The Blast’; ‘they ask me what I’m writing for/I’m writing to show you what we fighting for.’ In doing so, Kweli is forced to step on a few toes, as with a hint of disgust he questions hip-hop’s moral fabric on ‘Africa Dream’, peep the knowledge; ‘these cats drink champagne/and toast death and pain/like slaves on a ship talking bout’ who got the flyest chain.’ Similarly, Talib & Hi-Tek are a duo that speaks to the disillusioned head, and with ‘Too Late’ Talib captures those years of frustration with one profound hook; ‘nowadays rap artists coming half-hearted/commercial like pop/or underground like black-markets/where were you the day hip-hop died/is it too early too mourn/is it too late to ride.’
While the recent Source awards fiasco has further inflamed the violent, and Godless reputation this artform has been stereotyped with. Kweli discerningly critiques hip-hop’s obsession with death on “Good Mourning” —’you was living for yourself/so you could never be a martyr/life is hard/death is harder/you somebody baby father, someone’s lover/son of your mother’. Yet, it is the diversity of Kweli’s lyrical content that is most inspiring, effortlessly transitioning from pensive numbers “For Women”, and ‘Love Language’, into the rugged underground burners ‘Some Kind Of Wonderful’ and “Down For The Count” f/ Rah Digga & Xzibit.
Though the unassuming, largely minimalist grooves Hi-Tek supplied on Black Star’s debut, longed for a dramatic flair, he displays a remarkable maturation on ‘Reflection’. Reverberating with a discernible Soulquarian vibe, Tek’s loping keyboard wails, soulful staccato claps, and lucent piano loops are sublimely arranged, exemplified by the caressing horn break “This Means You” f/Mos Def, and the wonderfully melodious, yet understated acoustical guitar riffs of ‘Africa Dream’.
While Talib & Hi-Tek’s debut harbors over-ambitious (clocks in at 70 minutes) tendencies, this is a duo that will undoubtedly stain their memory into hip-hop’s collective memory. Welcome to the new generation of Native Tongue speaking.
Buy Reflection Eternal
Filed under: Reviews, Videos | No Comments »
Hip Hop Album Review: Sole - Bottle of Humans
January 3rd, 2008
Buy Bottle of Humans
Where does one begin when dismantling the complexities of the emcee and underground rabble rouser know as Sole? As acting figure-piece of the neo-revolutionary rappin’ transients known to the world as Anticon; the rhyming-mogul Tim Holland has been face to face with the ugliest of criticism for most of his career. So much that often times his actual music might not be the first plop to drop from a shit-talking mouth, if you don’t believe politics and bullshit can thrive below the majors - lend an ear to Sole for truly unabashed testimony. And the article of this testament? Bottle of Humans, the long delayed full length that will surely supply a strong platform for both Sole’s future as well as his Anticonaclastic fellowship.
It wast over 4 years since Sole’s initial step into the arena, 96’s “What It Is All About” LP with DJ/Producer and Portland, Maine neighbor (also Bay Area transplant) Moodswing9 struck a match that still has yet to un-sheath it’s full potential in the Hip-Hop community. 3 years later the Live Poets would regenerate itself to what is now regarded as Anticon, in the process regurgitating several side projects and two 12″s from Sole himself. The melodious depression encased in the album’s opening single “Bottle of Humans” would set the mood for a matured emcee both in content and presence. As he so feverishly states on the blistering album opener “Dismantling Sole’s Ego”, “What the fuck you gonna do to me? I’ve had my ass kicked so many times my spine is aligned with the ability to only exist within my own sandcastle point in time, get it? Shallow threats and knives can’t kill me.” Sole is grabbing the frustrating masses by the throat and it’s never sounded so good. Although when the BPM�s are turned up a bit he seemingly commands even more as exemplified on “I Don�t Rap In Bumper Stickers”. A noggin’ nodder that’ll baffle as only Anticon can.
As the listeners delve deeper into the album they might find that two possible paths can be taken while mapping the range of Sole’s body of work. Tracks like “Tourist Trap Reprise”, “Understanding” and “Sole Has Issues” teeter on the precipice of fun loving braggadocio all the while trapped gleefully in Sole’s ever alluring realm of unusual rhymes schemes and atypical (read - original) subject matter. He deliberates on the latter by saying “I’m tired of paying rent and I’m tired of paying dues and I’m tired of being polite and I’m tired of not falling asleep and I’m tired of morons that say I’m too abstract or I’m too deep, yeah I’m deep, deep in debt, deep in thought, falling off the deep end without a bungy”. But with “Suicide Song” and “Furthermore” our emcee explores a more intangible angle of his scope, ultimately leading to success in well crafted songs that lay richer than the usual 12″ at any given record store. Musically murky at times but always emotional without being basking in melodramatics.
And that is what Sole’s intention is, a willingness to try new things in song proves to be ultimately admirable. While outside of true blue Anticon groupies, every song on ‘Bottle Of Humans’ might not slide with the average head, but given the chance here, by next album those fakin’ jax should of recognized that as the lyric goes, “this isn’t spoken word, it’s the reinvention of Sugar Hill”
Buy Bottle of Humans
Filed under: Reviews, Videos | No Comments »
Hip Hop Album Review: De La Soul’s “Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump”
January 1st, 2008
Buy Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump
A decade had passed in the album-making careers of this trio, hip-hop’s most innovative and highly creative bunch. As the many influences and short-term trends invade and fade out of the rap industry time and time again, De La Soul on Art Official Intelligence, their fifth album to date, carefully embarrass what most emcees tried, will attempt and continue to fail at: 1. Opening the listener’s minds; 2. Supplying a plethora of variety in dance-ready grooves; and 3. Building a new outlook on hip-hop, trend-setting and making history in shaping this artform.
The song opening the album is “U Can Do (Life),” with a simplistic R&B chorus sung by Dave West. Formatted as such, that vintage hip-hoppers may bypass, it’s still a subtle groove liable to rope in the more masses than the ones now attracted to De La Soul in 2000 due to their sizzling new single and video, “Oooh” featuring Redman. It’s proof on this ever-changing and fickle market, that even the most spineless music listeners and radio program directors can ignore the overt glitz and glamour, and hug this underground classic like their lost love. Now with a strong buzz created by “Oooh,” hopefully we are slowly moving away from the artists fakin’ the funk, thus re-marrying authentic hip-hop efforts, minus the clownish step-and-fetch antics of entertaining the average. In fact, their recipe (yet to make public) for getting the party swinging is also prevalent on hot tunes like “Thru Ya City” featuring D.V. alias Khrist. With such an easy-going, sing-a-long chorus and hippie-sounding melody taken from Lovin’ Spoonful’s mid-60�s pop smash, “Summer in the City,” even your Project bricks can appear Legoland-like and a dream to live in.
Whether it’s simplistic B-Boy and B-Girl jams like “View,” destined to sneak into the underground limelight, or “Copa (Cobanga)” grabbing you and your mate to do the cha-cha-cha, the chemistry within all their is geared for the dance floor with excellent results. Enter their Chocolate City when Chaka Khan hangs out in the studio with Posdnuos, Dave and Maseo on a song called “All Good?,” easily fitting for a movie sequel to flicks like Best Man or Soul Food. Reversing the demographic, this time collaborating with Mike D and Adrock from Beastie Boys, a sure shot amongst flip-flop wearing dames and their purchasing-power counterparts is exemplified on “Squat” a cut for wildin’ up in the concert.
There’s such a multi-dimensional focus on this CD within each lesson learnt from the fifteen plus tracks, and splicing it altogether is the three-part �Ghost Weed� skit, which is classic in nature. This running joke that sprinkles the album, shows a new alternative for emcees who need to get weededed to rhyme or for those that hire ghost writers, as Pharoahe Monch, Phife Dawg, and Black Thought show you how it�s done. They balance this humor with their intellect, zeroing in more serious issues like anti-gun messages or simply getting robbed outside the club on �You Don�t Wanna B.D.S.� and �The Art Of Getting Jumped�, respectively.
The R&B vocals attached to a good four tracks may turn some longtime followers away, and the over-extended guest list keeps this mosaic from ever achieving a natural direction, at times feeling like this album is all over the place. But even the hardcore driven “My Writes” featuring the Likwit Crew and other chill-out speaker funk jewels like “Declaration” and “With Me” set De La’s fifth sail for a successful journey against time, sometimes the roughest factor in determining how this trio will arrive at their final destination.
Buy Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump
Filed under: Reviews, Videos | No Comments »
Hip Hop Album Reviews: The Beatnuts - Take it or Squeeze it
December 31st, 2007
Buy Take It Or Squeeze It
Ever since the early 90’s, The Beatnuts, Psycho Les and Ju Ju, have amazed hip-hop heads with their incredible beat-constructing abilities. Though never really impressing anyone with their lyrical ability, their production skills have remained some of the most consistent in the rap game today. Thankfully, The ‘Nuts haven’t stopped diggin in the crates and have just released their fourth full length album to the masses, Take It Or Squeeze It.
The Nuts come with the same shit that they’ve been known to come with on their past releases and really shine in the production aspect. Of course, critics are quick to say that “there wont be any lyrical gems found on the album”, but thats really doing the Nuts some injustice. Their lyrics, while not overtly deep or thought-provoking, are far from terrible. In today’s rap game, there are a great number of artists who are inferior to Les and Ju Ju. The lyrics definitely don’t ruin this exceptional album, which is one of the most solid releases of that year.
The guest appearance squad on the album is almost perfect. Greg Nice has been rolling with the Nuts since their last release, Musical Massacre, and fits in nicely with the crew. His style still sounds fresh today, especially when dropped over a Nuts track. Al Tariq, aka Fashion to the old school heads, returns to the crew on “Hammer Time,” and “It’s Da Nuts”. Other notable appearance’s are Tony Toca (Tony Touch) on the Spanish-flavored “Prendelo,” a Tupac-esque Triple Seis on “U Don’t Want It,” and Method Man on the dope remix for “Se Acabo.” The guests aren’t superstars, but they sound as if they really get down with the Nuts on the regular, which makes for some smooth sounding tracks that come off without a hitch.
One thing that is often overlooked on most records is song order. Take It Or Squeeze It is one of the finest examples of how the song order effects the flow of the whole album. One word that comes to mind is seamless.
For fans of the Nuts, this album is a must have. For anyone else, well, it’s a thoroughly put together piece, that will definately be bumping in the streets for awhile. Hopefully, people will take it for what it is - another solid release from The Beatnuts.
Buy Take It Or Squeeze It
Filed under: Reviews, Videos | No Comments »
Hip Hop Album Reviews: Lyricist Lounge 2
December 31st, 2007
Buy Lyricist Lounge, Vol. 2
Why stop when you have a good thing going? The peeps at Rawkus Records show no signs of slowing down with the release of Lyricist Lounge Volume 2. Unlike the first Lyricist Lounge, which had more of an underground feel to it, it seems Rawkus is attempting to shed their image as an “underground” record label.
Traditionally, The Lyricist Lounge was a showcase for new upcoming talent, a place where artists could show their asses in hopes of being discovered. The album kicks off with one such hopeful who made good, Biggie Smalls. The freestyle that Biggie kicks sets the album off perfectly. The momentum keeps up with Mos Def, Pharaoh Monch and Nate Dogg, with the destined to be classic, “Oh No.”
As the album wears on, it appears that the dope joints are sparsely sprinkled throughout the album. The album features most of the artists we are already familiar with - Mos Def, Ghostface, Beanie, Q-Tip, The Rza and other familiar players. Even though the album features most of the recurring trends in Hip-Hop, there are some gems on the album. “W.K.Y.A. (Will Kick Your Ass),” which features Redman and Saukrates, stands out like a nun in a whorehouse. The ever spittin’ Red and Saukrates make a perfect combination. In a classic tag team of monster proportions, M.O.P. and Kool G. Rap get right down to business on the hot track, “Legendary Street Team.” Pure fire.
The record is worth buying, but you would think that Rawkus would come with the tight production that made Kweli and Hi Tek’s Reflection Eternal album a certified classic. This Lounge album is decent, but like the second season of the Lyricist Lounge T.V. show, it doesn’t hold up to the first.
Buy Lyricist Lounge, Vol. 2
Filed under: Reviews, Videos | No Comments »
Hip Hop Album Reviews: QB’s Finest
December 31st, 2007
Buy QB Finest
In this corner lurk Nas, Mobb Deep, Capone and Noreaga, Nature, Cormega, MC Shan, Tragedy, Roxanne Shante, Marley Marl, Craig G, Big Noyd, Bravehearts, Millennium Thug, and more. What do all these heavyweights have in common? The Bridge, dun.
“QB’s Finest” is more than just a tight compilation, it’s one of the best releases of the year. The fact that all of the talent comes from one project is just incredible. What’s even more phenomenal, is that Nas, the executive producer of the project, could bring all these talents together. “QB’s Finest” takes skillful lyrics, combines them with exceptional production, and leaves the listener wanting nothing but more.
QB beefs have been well documented in the media, such as Nature versus Cormega, or CNN against Tragedy. Thankfully, it seems that the ill feelings are set aside for the sake of the music. On “Da Bridge 2001″, the entire crew busts out and does credit to the old school original. Another classic track that was reworked for the album was NWA’s “Straight Outta Compton”. This time, it’s “Straight Outta QB” and Cormega, Poet, and Nas’s little bro Jungle handle the verbals. It’s definitely thugged-out, and every MC shines on this updated classic. Check out the crazy-ill beat by LES on “Find Ya Wealth.” Matched up with Nas’ dope lyrics, fans of Illmatic won’t be disappointed. Even Nature gets down on one of the few solo joints, “Fire”. Many peeps wondered about the absence of this track from Nate’s cd, For All Seasons. Thankfully, it didn’t go to waste.
The album is not flawless though. “Our Way” by CNN and Iman Thug shows demonstrates someone’s poor judgement. 5 seconds into the song, and Capone is repeatedly urging the audience to “drive drunk to this”. The beat sets in, and the finger instantly compelled to press the fast-forward button. Then there’s “Oochie Wally”, with the Bravehearts, which is getting radio love, yet this one’s only about getting ass and head. The beat makes it slightly annoying, but not as bad as Capone’s ignorant lines on the “Our Way.”
Overall, this is an exceptional album and great effort by the whole QB family. Honestly, with all the cats sprouting out of QB, this could have been a double disc, with some more solo performances. Hopefully this will be the foundation in a long line of QB collective’s. When a whole project of MC’s can come together and make an album like this, it’s straight beautiful.
Buy QB Finest
Filed under: Reviews, Videos | No Comments »
Large Professor - The LP
December 22nd, 2007
Supposed to come out in 1996 and not released until 2002 because of label politics, The LP is a very solid album by Large Professor. For those who don’t know, Large Professor is a very influential hip hop producer, rapper, predominant member of Main Source, and for “discovering” Nas. Pretty impressive portfolio! And I gotta plug it here, one little quote from an interview that really sticks.
Do you ever think about how amazing it is that a bunch of 16-year-olds invented all this? Yeah yeah yeah, it’s crazy. I feel like God did that. A lot of people aren’t fortunate enough to be able to have piano lessons. The turntables came into play and some people excel like, yo I’m gonna flip this and starting getting algorhythms to it. So it’s definitely crazy but I smile ’cause that’s how God works, everybody could get in on it.
- Listen (Blast Off) (2:41)
- Have Fun (3:11)
- For My People (3:20)
- One Plus One (featuring Nas) (2:50)
- Hard (3:38)
- Spacy (featuring Neek the Exotic and Vandemator) (3:04)
- Dancing Girl (3:47)
- Hungry (2:45)
- Get off that Bullshit (3:44)
- IJUSWANNACHILL (3:36)
- Funky 2 Listen 2 (2:59)
- The Mad Scientist (3:39)
- IJUSWANNACHILL [Demo] (3:36)
Filed under: Reviews, Videos | No Comments »
Lupe Fiasco - The Cool
December 18th, 2007
I’m going to keep this short and sweet, Lupe Fiasco is a beast. The concept for The Cool
“I expand on the story, I introduce two other characters, the Game and the Streets. The Streets is a female. She’s like the action personification of the streets, the street life, the call of the streets. The Game is the same way. The Game is the personification of the game. The pimp’s game, the hustler’s game, the con man’s game, whatever. Then they’ve got supernatural characteristics. Like the Cool, his right hand is rotted away. The only thing that rotted away was his right hand. It represents the rotting away of his righteousness, of his good. And the Streets and the Cool kind of have a love affair going on. So she’s represented by this locket. And the locket has a key and it’s on fire. And as a gift to the Cool on his rise to fame, she gave him the key. And the key represents the key to the Streets. So she wears a locket around her neck at all times. And the way the story goes, she has given that key to tons of people throughout time. Al Capone, Alexander the Great, whatever. She’s giving them the key to the Streets. Fame and fortune– but also the prices. The Game, he’s represented by a stripped-down skull, a skull with dice in his eyes and smoke coming out of his mouth. The billowing smoke is actually crack smoke. It’s not a full concept album; it’s more spread over like five [tracks], really abstractly.”
You can see clearly what path it’s taking. The albums is just solid and I’d recommend all of you to go grab it.
The Cool
1. Baba Says Cool for Thought - Lupe Fiasco
2. Free Chilly - Lupe Fiasco,
3. Go Go Gadget Flow - Lupe Fiasco
4. Coolest - Lupe Fiasco
5. Superstar - Lupe Fiasco, Matthew Santos
6. Paris, Tokyo - Lupe Fiasco
7. Hi-Definition - Lupe Fiasco, Pooh Bear, Snoop Dogg
8. Gold Watch - Lupe Fiasco
9. Hip-Hop Saved My Life - Lupe Fiasco, Nikki Jean
10. Intruder Alert - Lupe Fiasco,
11. Streets on Fire - Lupe Fiasco
12. Little Weapon - Lupe Fiasco, Nikki Jean
13. Gotta Eat - Lupe Fiasco
14. Dumb It Down - Graham Burris, Lupe Fiasco,
15. Hello/Goodbye (Uncool) - Lupe Fiasco,
16. Die - Lupe Fiasco,
17. Put You on Game - Lupe Fiasco
18. Fighters - Lupe Fiasco, Matthew Santos
19. Go Baby - Lupe Fiasco,
20. [CD-Rom Track]
Buy Lupe Fiasco’s The Cool
Filed under: Reviews, Videos | No Comments »
Hieroglyphics - 3rd Eye Vision
December 18th, 2007
The Hieroglyphics are considered by many to be hip hop visionaries, combining fundamentally sound deliveries and intelligent lyrical content with smooth, original and sometimes jazzy or funky beats and samples. Since their inception, Hieroglyphics have amassed a dedicated following of die-hard fans largely through their live concerts, podcasts (”Hierocasts”), and promotion through the collective’s own website. So to you, we offer the 3rd Eye Vision album, one of my all time favorite old school hip hop albums.
Buy Hieroglyphics - 3rd Eye Vision
Filed under: Reviews, Videos | No Comments »
Lupe Fiasco - Food & Liquor
December 15th, 2007
Buy Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor
In account of The Cool being released in a couple days, I will throw up this review on one of my favorite newer albums, Food & Liquor by Lupe Fiasco.
Jay-Z called his word play “refreshing,” Mike Shinoda exclaimed this emcee will definitely make an imprint on the music industry through his words, Twista deemed him the next big thing out of the Chi, Fader magazine deemed him a “hip hop whiz kid,” Complex magazine said he would be apart of “Chi Town’s next big wave,” XXL magazine placed him, a rookie, in their line up of all stars for 2006 and the list of approbation continues. The emcee that peers and industry insiders alike are bestowing the title of “next big thing” upon is Lupe Fiasco. This practicing Muslim, skateboarding nerd, and sneaker fanatic has been ripping up the airwaves and doing it with an ode to skateboarding coined “Kick Push. It’s kind of shocking that a cat can change the game with a track about skateboarding but he’s done it. With “Kick Push” airing on major outlets, BET and MTV, the world will soon get to appreciate what industry insiders have been blown away by on Lupe’s debut Lupe Fiasco’s Food and Liquor.
From the beginning it’s easy to see that this one will be special. As the “Intro” unfolds to the words of the sample singing “No one does it better,” the listener is rushed with bars that flow without seam, transitioning from detailed description to elaborate story to elongated metaphor fluidly. Word play like “It’s harder then sitting with a blind man and trying to describe yellow” and “not at the bar, but trying to put him behind the bar like a bartender/he laid the law, like the bar, so I put in a bar for dude/he said bar my jewels and bar the fools/because they’ll play you…like the space bar and tools/theme music to a drive by…put it in your car and cruise” make it easy to see why Lupe is receiving the props he does. The flipping of nouns and verbs is a constant throughout the album. “Might Just be Okay” is another exhibition of lyrical exercise. The vast track with its glorious drums and horns provide a proper background for Lupe to display his lyricism with well thought out lines like “my vida loca was built like Bob Vila via God,” “now we hold the coming like contracepts” and “I’m cool I don’t foretell best/I ain’t nicest emcee/I ain’t Cornel West/I am Cornel Westside/Chi-Town Guevara…” This guy murders the track unmercifully. And meanwhile, Lupe is telling a story of a troubled youth trying to maneuver through life. It’s an incredible lyrical performance. Lupe also kills the concept song “Never Lies,” which is heavily influenced by Linkin Park’s Mike Shinoda. Lupe rhymes through the track using an extended metaphor to flip the word box to have multiple meanings including that of the TV and radio while telling the narrative of those who are trapped by these boxes. This is undoubtedly a clever track. “No Place to Go” has an introspective Lupe rapping about various hip hop artists’ work’s influence upon him and later in the track listing all the ills of society. “Make Sure” takes the listener to a less serious place describing the different types of characters that run game telling about the “virgin girl” and “pimpin’ male” archetypes. Yet at the end of the song, Lupe drops some political knowledge on the listener giving the track balance. On “Real Recognize Real” Lupe personifies the streets, the game and righteousness with in depth-descriptions of the aspects of each. The album is capped off with “Close Your Mind.” This political track delves into various aspects of current politics of America even retracing American history through the races. “Close Your Mind” is an intelligent commentary of American politics and the iniquity in it.
Lupe Fiasco with Food and Liquor will become the future of hip hop. Food and Liquor provides you with the balance that the title suggests. The production on the tracks matches the words that are delivered providing a soundscape that is as varied as the diction. The subject content covers the whole spectrum going from love to politics and beyond. It gives the listener the food/the good in society and liquor/the ills of society. If you want to feed your mind, there is plenty of intellectualism, and if you just want something that sounds good, it’s that too. This album caters to people from all walks of life, which is what makes it a classic. The album is a true reflection of the emcee in that it’s an intelligent “eclectic mix” of ingredients that will serve as the knowledge and entertainment that true hip hop heads crave.
ref. nobodysmiling.com
Buy or Preview Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor
Filed under: Reviews, Videos | No Comments »