Amazon.com

She's back. After more drama than even this unshy Big Bad Mama might havewanted, it seems as if Foxy Brown has pulled back from the abyss. Ofcourse, on her first album in three years (since the disappointingChyna Doll),Foxy's rhyme skills haven't gotten any better or worse--she stillexhibits the focused monotone that first got her noticed in 1995 on LL Cool J's "I Shot Ya." BrokenSilence can't be called a revelation, but it does showcase a lessill, more introspective Na Na. Gratuitous battle rhymes are stillvery much in effect, but the effort she's made to explore herrecent painful experiences has resulted in some pretty compellingmaterial. Foxy explains her position, pointedly making thinly veiledreferences to the many industry beefs and relationshipproblems that have made her name prime fodder for the rumor mills.Many of the best tunes found here, including the ragga raw "Oh Yeah,"are heavy on the reggae vibe, but, quiet as it's been kept, Foxy's beenexploring her dancehall roots for a while now. Broken Silencemay not be the best we'll ever hear from Ms. Brown, but you candefinitely call it a comeback. --Rebecca Levine ... Read more

Reviews (108)

***FOXY BROWN....The SILENCE has offically been BROKEN***
**************************** FOXY BROWN IS BACK**********************************

We haven't heard her voice in such a long time. She's been up and down at the point to almost no return, but she she's still going on strong with the release of her new, and third album "Broken Silence"

This album is definitely her best yet to come. Foxy's lyrics are so powerful and meaningfull-the tracks Broken silence and The Letter...Wow) She means everthing she says. Unlike Lil Kim and and Missy, Foxy doesn't need to feature top artists to help sale her album... FOXY is what makes this album sale. 18 complete tracks featuring mostly family and close friends is what makes the album so hot. Guest appearences stretch from Spragga benz to Young Gavin. Also Baby Cham, Darius, Kori and Wayne Wonder. This album is solid from start to finish. I never heard such a great intro and outro like the ones on this album.

Her first 2 singles "BK Anthem" and "Oh Yeah feat" are amazing. Even though BK Anthem didn't recieve as much recognition as I thought it should, her current single "Oh Yeah" is picking up the pieces. Besides these two singles I enjoy hearing

"Fallin'" feat Young Gavin, "The Letter" feat Ron Isley, "7:30," "Hood Scriptures," "Broken Silence" feat Darius and "Tables Will Turn"( Tables will turn, a track that sounds different and new...sizzling hot)

"Broken Silence" is easily one of the best records of 2001. And Foxy's like a tornado, rippin up the charst and blowing the others away. If you were never really a Foxy fan, pick up this album and soon you'll be hooked. She's the best...one of BK's finest 4 life.

Wow, Foxy Did It!
WOW!

Let me say it again..

WOW!

This album is brilliant. Tracks like Fallin, Saddest Day, Broken Silence and The Letter really dig deep into Foxy's everyday struggles and show the real Inga Marchand. You leave this album feeling like you know Foxy personally, when in reality, you dont, you've just listened to 18 powerful, tracks where she pours her heart out on paper.

But dont get it twisted! This is FOXY BROWN, and she's got some sick beats and flows to keep the Jeep pumpin all summer long!

"Thow ya hands up! Wil' da fukk out!"

Thats exactly what you'll do when you listen to Tables Will Turn, Oh Yeah, Run Dem and Hood Scriptures! The beats tell a story all on their own. The rest of the tracks on Broken Silence compliment the rest of the album and will leave you with nothing but satisfaction..

This is definatley one of those CD's where you wont skip a song. Broken Silence, 5/5!

Go Fox, you've grown into such an amazing woman. Love you girl.

What a surprise
What a surprise, another failure from foxy to be like Lil' Kim. Please give up. The songs in this are really weak except for gangsta boogie and na na be like.. I have to say she is improving but is still crap

LIL' KIM WHO?
This girl can spit. I can't wait for her next album. This album is da bomb. Nuff said.

Foxy Brown's hottest album!
I personally love this album, its perfect. The whole CD is amazing, her best songs (in my opinion) were "Run Dem" and "Tables Turn". She honestly put her all into this album, its worth buying and this is the kind of cd you can listen to all the time. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Song for Song, one of the best ever.
I have been Dj'ing for over 20 years now. I have listened to a heck of a lot of Hip-Hop music over the years. I have the wax on this as well as the tape(and now the CD!) There are 10 tracks on this album and 7 out of them are simple classics. Of course, some of the tracks are not top notch but the lyrics overshaddow the track on most if not all Eric B and Rakim songs anyway. How this MC is not reguarded as the best of all time by everyone is beyond me. There are not many tracks of others that to this day you can go back and say 'damn, he said that!' This is a must have to anyone who gives a &$%# about hip-hop.

Rakim STILL in his prime
1990 was a FANTASTIC year in hip hop. The likes of Ice Cube, LL Cool J, Brand Nubian, A Tribe Called Quest, just to name a few, all dropped CLASSIC gems that year. Eric B & Rakim returned with the third album, Let The Rhythm Hit Em. This album is as equally great as their first two. Rakim still turned heads with this one, and he and Eric B delivered as usual. Here's the review:

Album Highlights: Sadly, there is a little filler on this album, but even those songs are worth a listen. The album highlights are Let The Rhythm Hit Em, No Omega, In The Ghetto, Mahogany, and Run For Cover.

Production: Thumbs in the middle, not really great, but still head bobbing material.

Lyrics and Subject Matter: Thumbs up.

Originality: Thumbs up.

The Last Word: While it's certainly NOT better than Paid In Full and Follow The Leader, this is still Eric B & Rakim at the very best. This album has classics that are still pumped today. I recommend this album, but do not expect to hear material on the level of their first two albums.

A classic album that Eric B gets too much credit for
I'm not going to reiterate what has already been said, but it should be known that the Large Professor (Main Source, Nas) and Rakim did most of the beats on this album. Think about it, after Eric B and Rakim split, what did Eric produce after that? Well to my knowledge all he did was executive produce Craig Mack's sophomore album (Operation: Get Down) which BLEW CHUNKS. So there you have it.

Their best and most consistent album
Let The Rhythm Hit 'Em is the best Eric B. & Rakim album and one of the best hip-hop albums ever recorded. While Paid In Full & Follow The Leader feature more popular tracks, neither album is great all the way through like this album. Rakim raps in a lower, more menacing register on this album making the consistently strong material even better. Rakim is at his best when he belts out his lyrics at warp speed on the title track, "Untouchables", and the best track, "No Omega". Even more laid back tracks such as "In The Ghetto", "Step Back", and "Mahogany" are very strong and provide a good mix. Eric B.'s production and work on the turntable are among the best you'll ever hear, particularly on "Eric B. Made My Day", and "Keep 'Em Eager to Listen". The album ends with the 12-inch remix of the title track which may be even better than the original. All of their albums are very good and worth checking out, but Let The Rhythm Hit 'Em is a bonafide hip-hop classic.

The Greatest Ever!
Rakim is the greatest emcee to ever grab a mic and this is his best album. Rakim has a mic presence like no other. His voice has such authority that it commands the respect and attention of anyone listening. Together with a fast paced and flawlessly smooth flow he amazes the listener with his seemingly endless amount of creative lyrics. Often times a complaint of older hip-hop releases circles around the dated sound of production and/or lyrics. Neither is the case here. Rakim spits lyrics that are so venomous that rappers today are still trying to catch up to his standards. The other great part of Rakim's albums is the involvement of Eric B. He creates beats that move so well with Rakim's style that you'll get lost in these tracks. It's always refreshing to hear this record when the DJ was an important piece to the music, rather than today when albums are filled with a myriad of producers who have no compatibility with the artists. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Maybe it's a concept album, but every odd numbered track on Apocalypse is incredible, while the even tracks fall apart or never come together at all. If you listen to the odds, you get PE breaking down issues facing African Americans almost to minutiae, outing everything from corporate sneaker pimps ("Shut Em Down") and 40oz. killers ("One Million Bottlebags") to a racially corrupt government ("By the Time I Get to Arizona"). And, thankfully, most of that dogma is couched inside PE's trademark air-raid drill noisematics so you can shake your ass while PE sublimates the gospel into your brain. Unfortunately, drop the odd tracks and you're listening to a sonically and lyrically inferior album. Suffer through Flav's reprehensible plea for martyrdom in "A Letter to the New York Post," or the inane and superfluous "Bring Tha Noize"--a co-op with Anthrax which takes rap-rock crossover back to a sad place, alongside Lou Reed's "Original (W)rapper". --Todd Levin ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Disappointing, but has its moments
Public Enemy's '91 album showed the invincible facade beginning to fracture -- the first *bad* song PE ever released is track 4 on this, "Can't Truss It." The album is defensive and irritable (check out [or don't] Flava's immoral 'A Letter to the NY Post'), lyrically not as focused and sonically not all there compared to their last two.

The tone of the album is patchy -- at first, it seems that PE has the guts to take on the black community for selling itself out, but then it becomes clear that they're just angry at the music world beginning to forsake them, and can't come up with anything particularly eloquent to say on self-destruction except "1 Million Bottlebags."

Lyrically, especially on songs like the aforementioned "Can't Truss It" (the point of which is... slavery was bad?), "Get the F*** Outta Dodge" and "Move!" resort to whining, cliches and pointlessness respectively. Some songs like "Nighttrain" are truly searing, and "Yo Niga," while not quite up to Flava's other stuff, is still strong. But by and large, this album isn't quite the focused gem of "Fear" or the sharp individual attacks of "Nation." Also, for the first time the band resorts to rap jargon -- Can't Trust It beomces Can't Truss It and Bring the Noise becomes Bring tha Noize. Why, what's the point? It feels like pandering to me, especially the cheesy rap-metal of "Bring tha Noize" with Anthrax. Also, the band "plugs" itself alot -- liner notes selling their clothing line and songs for extended members of PE's family, Harry Allen and Sister Souljah.

Sonically, songs like "Rebirth" and "More News @ 11" just aren't all there -- a lackluster beat without the sonic cut-and-paste collage and attack of "Fear." This one isn't produced by the Bomb Squad (who the heck are the Imperial Grand Ministers of Funk?!) and it shows. The band has stopped sampling civil rights leaders and started sampling themselves -- a sign of the beginnings of bloat.

OK, I'll cut the album a little slack. "Lost at Birth" is a ferocious, perfect opener. "Nighttrain" is a sonically powerful, angry attack on blacks giving up the struggle with shouts and cries mixed throughout. Tracks 6, 7 and 9 (Radio Consultant, Arizona and Bottlebags) are a great triple-whammy attacking black music (skip "Move!," it's an over-lengthy throwaway), the government and the liquor industry. But even these don't quite live up to "Fear." Except for "Shut 'Em Down," everything after "Bottlebags" is a bit spotty.

Ah well, PE broke up a few years after this, after descending into obsolence, but they are coming back with a new album this year. Maybe now they'll have that certain something they lost after "Fear."

The Enemy Strikes Black
This is the fourth album for Our Heroes(tm) and they've changed quite a bit since the days of Yo! Bum Rush The Show. The group is now made up of: Chuck D, the hard rhymer; Flavor Flav, the juice; Terminator X, the track attacker; as well as Sister Souljah, sister of instruction/director of attitude; Harry Allen, hip hop activist/media assassin; Hank Shocklee, commander of the flight deck; and the S1W's. They're even joined on a few tracks by Frank Able on keyboards; Fred Wells on guitar; Al MacDowell on bass; Allen Givens, Tyrone Jefferson and Lorenzo Wyche on horns; Steve Moss on conga and Ricky Gordon on drums.

If you don't know anything else about PE, probably the most well-known rap group of all time, I don't know what else to say to you. So I'll just leave it at that.

Now there's been much speculation that our boyz have gone weak, sold out, or lost the funk. Fans have expresed fear that PE was no longer in the house. I admit that while the idea of PE sellin' out never crossed my mind (not PE!), I had despaired that success had been too much for them and the Fear of a Black Planet album would mark the end of an era. Alas, PE, I knew you well.

However, as you can tell by my summary up top, all my fears have been a-cast away. This effort strikes me in much the same way that It Takes A Nation of Millions To Hold Us Back did: hard core and noisy; an album with some great songs and filled out with stuff that three months from now will strike me as classics. By contrast, Fear was a more solid album, but it had no standouts.

Having said that, though, I'll also say that this does not sound like either album. It just doesn't. You might not feel that Apocalypse 91 is the best album that they've done (or then you may--personally, I think the sounds have actually progressed, but what the hell do I know?), but it's still miles ahead of 99% of everything out there, from rap to country music and back again.

When I first heard Nation I was impressed by "Bring The Noise" "Show Em Whatcha Got" "Rebel Without A Pause" and "Night of The Living Baseheads" but not much else. Months later, it occurred to me that everything on that album was kickin'--I just hadn't paid attention before. Apocalypse is the same way. But this time, I really paid attention. This... is hype. And that's that.

But then whaddayawant? Chuck D is still the Blackman and Flavor Flav is still... Flavor Flav. PE is still PE. I think they're trying to go out and try a few different things and for the most part they hit gold. In short, if you haven't bought this yet, go do it now. I'll wait.

Hardcore Thrillers Of Rap
Coming down after the twin high-water marks of It Takes a Nation of Millions and Fear of a Black Planet, Public Enemy shifted strategy a bit for their fourth album, Apocalypse 91...The Enemy Strikes Black. By and large, they abandon the rich, dense musicality of Planet, shifting toward a sleek, relentless, aggressive attack -- Yo! Bum Rush the Show by way of the lessons learned from Millions. This is surely a partial reaction to their status as the Great Black Hope of rock & roll; they had been embraced by a white audience almost in greater numbers than black, leading toward rap-rock crossovers epitomized by this album's leaden, pointless remake of "Bring the Noise" as a duet with thrash metallurgists Anthrax. It also signals the biggest change here -- the transition of the Bomb Squad to executive-producer status, leaving a great majority of the production to their disciples, the Imperial Grand Ministers of Funk. This isn't a great change, since the Public Enemy sound has firmly been established, giving the new producers a template to work with, but it is a notable change, one that results in a record with a similar sound but a different feel: a harder, angrier, determined sound, one that takes its cues from the furious anger surging through Chuck D's sociopolitical screeds. And this is surely PE's most political effort, surpassing Millions through the use of focused, targeted anger, a tactic evident on Planet. Yet it was buried there, due to the seductiveness of the music. Here, everything is on the surface, with the bluntness of the music hammering home the message. Arriving after two records where the words and music were equally labyrinthine, folding back on each other in dizzying, intoxicating ways, it is a bit of a letdown to have Apocalypse be so direct, but there is no denying that the end result is still thrilling and satisfying, and remains one of the great records of the golden age of hip-hop.

91, The Enemy....
This is, in my opinion, the best sounding LP Public Enemy has ever released! While the lyrics still border on rhetoric, a new twist is added; instead of just addressing social ills and railing against the system, Chuck D. and Company actually offer solutions to our problems. Flavor Flav is in excellent form on his showcase "I Don't Wanna Be Yo N***a" and his ad-libs on the stunning and still dope intro "Lost At Birth" are sure to get you hyped before CD gets going good! Chuck D. has settled into a tight, rhythmic rap style that perfectly compliments these crystal clear, hardcore tracks. "Can't Truss It", the heavy, percussive and catchy "NightTrain", "Shut 'Em Down" and the organ drenched "Get The F**k Outta Dodge" are my favorites, but the entire LP is oustanding. Once again, the production is without peer, P.E. have just never sounded better! The closing track, while lamented by most fans is actually one of the most innovative things here, who else(besides Ice-T) was melding rap and metal back in the early 90's? Way before whining little posers who grew up in suburbia were milking the genre and draining it of all it's fury, these innovators were breaking new ground and exhibiting true expression while blurring boundaries.
A Masterpiece.

Old Skool
I just read my man Rich's review about this one and realized i had this one too in my Cd Collection. It's been a while i listened to it but it sure brings back some old memories, memories of the time when Rap was still good, and when it actually had a message and not just about ([women], Car's and Cash) or whatever the modern rappers are bragging about. This album is full of great songs with nice sample's and beats. "Lost at birth" is exelent so i "How to kill a radio consultant" and "By The Time I Get To Arizona" and "More News At 11". There's a song called "Don't wanna be called yo nigga" the word nigga got a completely other meaning among rapper nowadays. "A Letter To The New York Post" is good too when they share their view about the media. Most songs are good except, the terrible last one with rock group Anthrax called "Bring tha Noize" ironically a whole genre's with metal-rap popped up in the late 90's with Limp Bizkit, Linkin Park and Kid Rock. I give this one 5 not only cause im a major P.E fan, also that i think this is a classic peace of rap everyone should have listened too. ... Read more

Album Description

What do you do when you are one of the most respected artists in Hip-Hop, chosen by both the commercial scene and the hard-to-please underground heads? When you have had a career that artists envy, from movies to music commercials? When you've released a slew of albums and have a catalog that would make most other rappers jealous? And to top it all off, your name is Reggie Noble aka Funk Doctor Spock aka Redman? What do you do? You give the biz the third finger and promote yourself with mixtapes, 50-Cent style. That's just what Redman has done with the release of Ill At Will Mixtape Vol. 1. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Gilla House Rules!!!
I am SO shocked this mixtape is even being bought through Amazon. Redman is smart as hell to do this!!!! Props to the Funk Doc. Spot for this mixtape....this joint is bananas!!! " I See Dead People" with soundbites of Biggie,Big Pun,Big L and 2Pac.. HOT!! The freestyles and rhyhming over other peoples beats like on "Brick Intentions" that Dr. Dre used for his song " Bad Intentions" ...Red kills it!! If you into the Funk DOC you will love this mixtape just to hold you over until his Def Jam LP Red Gone Wild comes out!!

Need some underground Redman?
This is the place. Ill at Will is Redman branching away from Def Jam (which he makes pretty clear on the second track, actually calling out Def Jam). Very stripped down beats, lots of freestyle rhymes, and Redman returns to his clever/hilarious lyrical roots (unlike Malpractice, where he seemed to substitute "annoying" for "humorous"). This is worth it for Redman fans. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The Roc-A-Fella platinum formula strikes again. All the usual suspectsare present: honcho Jay-Z, Beanie Sigel, Amil, and the record's featured artist, Memphis Bleek. Lyrically light-years ahead of his debut album, Coming of Age, Bleek returns with an effort that easily avoids the sophomore jinx. The strings and pattering snares on the "My Mind Right" remix make it better than the original, particularly with the added vocal talents of Jigga, H. Money Baggs, and Sigel. Carl Thomas returns to his hook-crooning roots on the female-targeted "Everyday," an attempt to show Bleek's sensitive side. Twista brings an added dimension to the alternate version of "That Your Chick," the first single; however, things get a little too sappy on "In My Life," which samples Foreigner's classic, "I Want to Know What Love Is." You don't have to be a brain surgeon to understand this brand of Understanding. It's the patented Roc blend of drinking and smoking, guns and glory. Love it or leave it. --Kenji Jasper ... Read more

Reviews (43)

ROC-A-FELLA does it again.....
BLEEEEK!! After purchasing jigga's most recent album "The Dynasty: Roc La Familia 2000", and then getting Amil's debut album, and now Memphis Bleek's new album, I'm pretty impressed with the recent releases from Roc-A-Fella. Their string of hit albums continues with Memphis' "The Understanding". With Jay-Z and company doing the producing credits, there are some tite beats and lyrics in this album. As usual, Jay-Z is featured prominently throughout the album. Now to the tracks: "INTRO-U KNOW BLEEK" great spinning, tite beat to start off the album with. "DO MY..." now this is my favorite track, with jigga rappin " Do my ladies run this muthaf**ka, Do my thugs run this muthaf**ka"..haha, some tite a$$ lyrics. "IS THAT YOUR CHICK (THE LOST VERSES)" jigga sounds real good on this track, and with Timbaland producing, you get his signature beats that you've grown to love. "CHANGE UP" I love the warping sound in the beginning of this song. "MY MIND RIGHT (REMIX)" some orchestra background music, (seems like a lot of roc-a-fella songs are using this) great song though. "PYT" this track features Amil (finally!) and jigga. I love the beats, great song to bump in your ride. Any rap music lover will like this album and it should be in your collection. Ignore the haters who diss this album. And by the way, be sure to get Amil's album, I highly recommend it!

Da R.O.C.'s best rapper
forget all the bleek haters. some say he wouldn't be nething without jigga.well they're all wrong cuz he'd be just as well off by himself. almost every song on here has a killa beat and dope lyrics. the only songs which i wouldn't give 5 stars are all types of s***, everyday, and in my life. the latter 2 feature rNb beats which don't sound tight with memph's voice. my favorites r is that your chick and bounce b****. bounce b**** has a headnoddin beat and i think memph flows best on this track. is that your chick has a beat by timbaland so u know its dope and has fast rappin by jay-z and twista. my 2 favorite verses are beanie sigel's on change up which features 3 different beats,and twistas on is that your chick because he spits so fast. memph also has some memorable verses like the 1st on P.Y.T.(pretty young thing) and his verses on we get low. my favorite thing about memph is the expression he uses in his rapping switching tones often. this cd is a rocafella classic. i would say its up there with volume 2 hard knock life. newayz if u like dope beats and flow with lots of expression cop this album.

Def jam for life is right (BLEEK HATERS)
I don't want to start no beef with the other reviewer,s but don,t let their review,s throw you off of this great album.Im not even a big Rocafella fan and I have to admit that this was a great album.We need some air freshener to get get rid of the hate on bleek cause it,s starten stink.You may say that he is a bad rapper and It might be because his eastcoast flow is not your style but he,s pretty good to be a follow up on a great rapper like Jay-z and especially to be comng from the same housing project,s Jay-z diddn't drop him because he,s a good rapper and a close friend and good enough to take over Rocafella If beanie siegal doesn't.

really understanding
Memphis bleek has to be the best and most underrated artist on Rocafella.He has three albums that are must have,s but this one is a definite must have. This album not only has beats that keep you hype but lyrics that are not to be messed with. Memphis keeps you on lock with the first song Do my, Featuring Jay-z which is a nice club binger and might keep you rewinden it in ya sterio but you have to go foward to catch we get low,now this beat is so tight you coulden't pull this out of J-Lo,s A** and great lyric,s on the side.Basically every single song on this album is hot and def lyrics that can't be beat even the slow song,s which are #3-I get high #7- hustlers #8-All types of S*** #12-Everyday and #14-In my life and If you dont like slow songs,s you'll like these. This album even has his smash hit Is that your chick with Jay-z ,Twista and MIssy elliott. So if you get this album I know you will agree that it is a perfect 5 and the album is so good the first time you hear it it,s impossible to skip threw the track,s cause it,s a strait listen threw, and after you hear this one I bet you'll get his first and third album Coming of age and M.A.D.E

oh c'mon y r u guys listining to bleekhater
letz get 1 thing strait, roc and def jam r tha best record labelz its cool that bleek iz in both.2 roc and def jam r tha hottest labels. and this came out in a year full of good cds, so therefore this is a good cd. bleek iz fresh his method is good this is true rocafella. if u dont like him or the cd then dont say anything at all.bleekhater iz a ......nvm go get this album listen to it without sciming through it. its pure fire.go get this cd ~1~

2000 cds 2 get sum r not roc and def jam
nas stillmatic (he should sighn 2 def jam)
redman&method man blackout! and get the movie soundtrack
ja rule venni vetti vecci(way better then his other 1's)
jay-z the blueprint(a source 5 mic classic enuff said) ... Read more

Amazon.com

By 1993, hip-hop was transitioning from an organic form of musical expression into a big business fabricating stars. With many icons from his era either aging or losing their relevance (e.g., Chuck D, Rakim), KRS-ONE dropped a gem of an album that not only navigated the sound of the day but led the charge. Shedding his previous Boogie Down Productions moniker, KRS-One's Return of the Boom Bap is not just an album: it's KRS's call to arms for the return of hard beats and real rap in hip-hop music. The former took many forms, thanks to the recruitment of Gang Starr's DJ Premier, who was hitting his stride as hip-hop's preeminent beat-maker. Primo crafted the classic head-nod rhythm of the title track, the bump of "Outta Here," an autobiographical tale of KRS-One's rise in hip-hop, and the dancehall-inspired riddims of "Black Cop" and "Sound of da Police." Lyrically, KRS-One displayed variety in both style and content, meshing old-school bombast ("Mortal Thought"), consciousness ("Higher Level"), and crafty and conceptual wordplay ("I Can't Wake Up"). The album opens with KRS-One boasting, even decreeing, that he would "be here forever." At the crossroads, this album made it seem true. --Joseph Patel ... Read more

Reviews (18)

classic blasts from the blastmaster
This album is hard as hell. Just beats and rhymes, it's a distilled version of east coast hip-hop from the early 90's. KRS takes nearly everyone in America to task and runs through politics, hate crimes, to plain old beating down wack mc's. KRS gets some of the best producers of the time on his side, including DJ Premier - who continued his amazing streak of fat beats through the rest of the 90's. 'Outta here' is an absolute classic, and 'KRS One Attacks', 'Black Cop', I Can't Wake Up (I love it when he hollers that "I'm dreamin - about being a blunt..."), Slap Them Up, 'Sound of da Police', '"P" Is Still Free' are personal favourites as well. This is one for your mind and to toughen up your hiphop collection.

KRS drops the bomb in 93!!!!
Krs-One returned with a vengeance in 93, and dropped a CLASSIC in the form of Return Of The Boom Bap. This album, like every other Krs-One album, represents him in his truest form, always talking about something positive, claiming to be "the teacher" of hip hop, and saying things to leave you thinking. Here's the review:

Album Highlights: Krs-One Attacks, Outta Here, Black Cop, Mortal Thought, I Can't Wake Up, Sound Of Da Police, Mad Crew, and Return Of The Boom Bap.

Production: Thumbs up.

Lyrics and Subject Matter: Thumbs up.

Originality: Thumbs up.

The Last Word: While NOT as strong as Criminal Minded and By All Means Necessary, this is still Krs at his best. Today, he still remains one of the most influential MCs out there keeping his legacy alive. Overall, I recommend you pick up this album.

A classic comeback
1993 was a great year in a great era for hip hop. How i miss those days. While most of the vets had lost their edge, you have to respect KRS-1 for the major way in which he came back.

On this album he sounds fresh and rejuvenated. The many styles he flexes are just crazy, and the beats provided by DJ Premier and Kid Capri are dense, multi-layred and hard hitting. Damn that song 'Outta Here' is mind blowing.

KRS re-establishes himself as one hell of an untouchable emcee, and the overall sound and mood here is aggressive and triumphant. The man deserves a nod for achieving what all the other tired and decayed former big name emcees failed to do and that is regain their crown & credibility. An all time classic album from hip hops greatest era.

KRS-One Doing What He Does Best
The first official solo release from Boogie Down Production's leader KRS-One (Kris Parker) is far from the legendary status of Criminal Minded or By All Means Necessary, but KRS-One sounds reinvigorated, rejuvenated, as well, spitting out his rhymes with fury, ferocity, and intelligence. In the early-'90s KRS-One's reputation began to slip, as he spent more time "educating" and "enlightening," oppose to doing what he does best, spitting rhymes. Return of the Boom Bap slaps the critics directly in the face, crushing any thoughts, rumors, or signs of KRS-One's image beginning to slip. Deserting the style and production from the last B.D.P. album Sex and Violence, Boom Bap returns KRS-One to the tough, hardy territory of Criminal Minded.

Boom Bap, original rap!
I first heard of Kris on the track 'Hush' (from tony hawks III) and immediately bought this album. It's a good album but I don't think it's worth the 'best album of the 90's' label some reviewers have given it. Classic Tracks on the album are 'KRS-One Attacks' (if only it was longer), 'Outta Here', 'Mortal Thought (Amazing first verse) and I really like 'Brown Skinned Woman'. This is good stuff, but I think he can do better. This Albums made me wanna get a more recent one, to see if he really IS as good as everyone says he is!

Anyway, the best album of the 90's is 'It takes a nation of millions to hold us back' Public Enemy forever! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Slick Rick boasts that he makes hip-hop that creates memories, and it's an apt description for an album that nostalgically recalls a different age of hip-hop. Unfortunately, the blast back to the past is mostly the result of an album that just sounds old--as if it's been collecting dust in Def Jam's attic for a while, what with Clark Kent's bare-bones production that pushes a boring formula of simplicity to tears. While some songs ("Sparkle," "Memories," and "Kill Niggaz" among them) have a spark of life, it's really up to Slick Rick to hold up the album's monstrous 23 tracks. His storytelling skills are all intact, whether on the X-rated tip ("Adults Only"), moralizing about infidelity ("Two Way Street"), or kickin' the playalistic game with Outkast ("Street Talk"). Overall, it's a likable album, but it suffers from obese length and bland production that only makes the experience seem longer. --Oliver Wang ... Read more

Reviews (56)

slcik rick - art of story tellin
Slick Ricks first album since hie release from prison, seems to have all the elements for a hipop classic. Never has there been an LP that has been able to combine all styles of hiphop into one album. The Rulers laid back style helps his lyrics to flow smoothly into the listeners making them sit and ponder upon the world that Rick is allowing you to get a glimpse of. And at the same time has your head bouncing to the bassy bets on each and every track.. This album features the contributions of such mc's as; Nas, Run Dmc, Snoop Doogy Dog, Q- tip from a tribe called quest, Peter Gunz,, and the beat boxing talents of Dougie fresh. Each Track seems to flow into each other until the very end. When you ear is left begging for more. I haven't taken this album out of my CD player since I bought. Its your decision. But I defiantly wouldn't pass this album up.

This Album is Straight Up Sick!!!!!!
I ususally buy bootleg CD's because most albums today have only 2 good tracks and the other 12 are crap!Rarely can an artist deliver a solid album front to back. Slick Rick has done it with this joint! He brings back the style of spitting rhymes that you can visualize. Last one to do that in my opinion was BIGGIE SMALLS(of course Rick was incarcerated). Too many young heads today think Hip Hop is about violence, thugs, ho's,and bragging about what I can afford and u can't. It is refreshing that Rick can be silly, serious, creative, and ill on his tracks;giving u a spectrum of storylines. Remember that an artists sound doesn't have to be like Puffy MasterP or Ice Cube to be fresh(stop with the "it sounds to old school or dated" noise!)For all u old school haters out there u need to check yourself because all these new school artists are jacking the old ones lyric for lyric and beat for beat! Just to let u know I spent my $ for the CD cause it's worth it!

THE WORST SLICK RICK ALBUM
Rick at his worst is still a 4star album..He's the best rapper ever by far..Its not even close..It's not hard to spit hardcore raps..anyone can do that..All those hardcore artists arent creative enough to do anything else..Rick is a Real Artist..These other bums just spit garbage compared to Rick..
The Art of Storytelling is Rick's worst album by far..buy the other 3 if oyur a true head...In 1988 I heard Slick Rick and haven't stopped listening to rap since..He has too many guest appearnaces and skits on this one..When I buy a Rick record i only want to hear Rick..I could care less about everyone else unless its a classic duet..Skits are just obnoxious..Everyone else just rhymes words and says nothing..listen to Rick if you wanna know how real rap should sound..There must be over 500 rap "acts" that are absolutely garbage..Its nice to know that Rick is still around..Also this album was recorded up state NY in the country which I believe Rick regrets. Ive read statements from him saying how he wants to remain in the Bronx cuz he feel syou lose some creative edge when you leave the environment that inpired you...BUY THE FIRST 3..FORGET THIS ONE

The Best Writer in the Game
Ok now this is definately my all time favourite rap/hip-hop cd, and I've got about 300. No questions asked. If I'm looking for something to listen to I might put on some Biggie or maybe a little Pharaohe Monch or perhaps a bit of Wu in its many shades, but if these aren't making my head bob, I take them out and put in the most reliable cd I have, Slick Rick's "The Art of Storytelling." Every single time I listen to it I'm drawn in, I just have to listen to the whole thing in its entirety and still I marvel at Ricky D's immaculate talent. I should point out that I'm only 22 and Rick is one of the older cats in the rap biz. But does that matter, well yes if you're looking for something a little different, a bit old school, even incredibly talented. I especially love "Who rotten em'" (plait swings or have you forgotten him biggest big shot since King Tut and em') I mean how many songs are there that talk about pharoahs and lions and a young slaves chance at a better life? None, the way Slick does it. And of course THE most graphic song of all time has to be "Adults Only" such a brilliant mix of filthy lyrics and appropriately filthy sound smaples.
Personally as Rick says, I don't think he needs anyone else to rap with either although being a big Snoop fan the collabo with him and Kid Capri is beautifully woven together.
This is one of the only cds that I have bought that I wasn't even concerned about who was making what beat, everything fits perfectly, even the two mixes of "I own America" stand alone and don't bore you when you hear one right after the other.
Ultimately my all time favourite cd and I'm a legend so if you want to be as good as me get this album nephew.

if this was 1989 this would be cd of the year
not a bad cd if you like old school rhymes this is for you especially for oldheads who can't reelate to ludacris or camron. rick is tight and continues his adventures but beware the lyrics are'nt for those who love to hear well what the mainstream rap plays daily. slick rick is a rap legend. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Arguably the most idiosyncratic MC in contemporary rap, Busta Rhymes flaunts his musical genius on his J Records debut. "Break Ya Neck," an uptempo headbanger produced by the good Dr. Dre, features Busta flipping his trademark rapid-fire delivery over some postmodern beats. The Neptunes lace Busta with some spacey heat-seeking rhythm tracks on "What It Is," featuring Kelis, while on "As I Come Back" Busta unleashes some potent dungeon-dragon roars and Jamaican-patois-inflected rhymes. Pedigreed knob twiddlers Pete Rock and Diamond D drop by to provide the dreadlocked wonder with some crisp beats and the first lady of the Flipmode Squad, Rah Digga, rips up some rhymes on "Betta Stay Up in Your House." Busta's clearly ditched the apocalyptic postmillennial musings heard on his last three studio albums for a more party-themed sound. Sure, he dabbles in a little bit of dorkery by enlisting the talents of P. Diddy on "Pass the Courvoisier," but all in all his eclectic rhymes and the plethora of wildly unpredictable beats makes Genesis a keeper. --Dalton Higgins ... Read more

Reviews (57)

WOW,has he really come back !!!
I have always been a bit of a busta fan but never have i heard him like this.He is HEAVY!!!WOW i think he has come back into the game now with this new album GENISIS.Something always held him back but now with the production of Dr.dre and others he has come into his own.With tunes like 'Truck volume','Bounce'and the unforgetable 'break ya neck'I don't see how any hip-hop and rap fan can't like him and his album.with co-labos like P.DIDDY, mary J and of course the flip mode squard this album just gets better and better.BUY IT! people reading this it will be a perfect LP for your collection.Oh and if you are familier with the hidden tracks between 1 or 2 songs in the album your in luck,they all here.Some funny but very dirty(if u know what i mean)but then again that shoulden't bother you, you are listening to a busta rhymes LP.(",).BUY IT NOW!!!!

Busta continues his old ways....
Let me be honest, I'll be the first to admitt that I love Busta's out of control musical style, but you can only take so much of it on one album. This album is a collection of the craziest tracks that Busta has ever recorded. But Busta is still up to his old ways...he drops 2 or 3 hot singles, and then floods his album with mediocre tracks and inappropriate and out of place interludes. And the worst part is, he doesn't just make an album of 13 or 14 songs, he usually pushes the limit to like 20 or 21 songs.

The album does have some high points though. "Break Ya Neck" is an amazing jam, probably my favorite Busta track of all time. "Bounce", "Betta Stay up in Your House", and "We got What Ya'll Want" are all stand out tracks on this album also. "Pass the Courviosier" with P. Diddy, is the not the version that you can see in the video or hear on the radio, which...me off. "Match the Name with the Voice" is a 3 minute long track with each member of the Flipmode Squad giving a quick verse, but the track extends over 6 minutes, do to a pointless interlude that follows the track, which has nothing to do with the song at all.

The typical album filler songs include: "Everybody Rise Again", "Shut em Down 2002", "As I Come Back", "What it Is" (with Kelis), and "Theres Only One" with the normally stellar Mary J. Blige. The wack tracks include: "Truck Volume", "Wife in Law" (with Jahim), "Ass On Your Shoulders" (with Kokane), "Make it Hurt", & "Bad Dreams" which I confirm now, are HARDLY MEMORABLE. In other words you will most likely not remember any of them.

Busta has been doing the same things for years, and he still hasn't changed his style. There has been no maturity in this man over his entire carrer span. If his goal was to be the most crazy rapper in history, he hasn't even accomplished that (thanks to ODB), and he is far from the best rapper to ever touch a mic. I'm through with Busta Rhymes, until I know that he can give me an album that I would like to listen to.

The new genesis for Busta
Both "Anarchy" and "E.L.E: The Final World Front" have achieved greater appreciation and success, than "Genesis" in the long term. However, I believe "Genesis" to be ranking ties with the best Busta Rhymes releases to date. On this album Busta maintains his style and his image completely, but the production is partially left to the Neptunes and Dr. Dre himself, so the musical side of the album is way above average. Also, Busta's successful change of record label, prior to the release of "Genesis" has abviously left its positive mark on his work, because it is loaded with energy and humor all the way through. There are only a couple of tracks that sound wack and merely annoying, the prevailing remainder is of highest Busta Rhymes quality.

GENESIZ 4EVER
Plyta jest wprost znakomita!!!!!!!!Nie ma co mowic wiecej,jest zajebista!!!!!!!!!!!!Najlepsze sa utwory produkcji Dr.Dre i takze piosenka razem z Flipmode Squad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Lepiej aby w tej wytworni zostal tu na zawsze heheheeeehehe

Sick beats and tight flow
After a slightly disapointing album (Anarchy), I was a little let down and felt that Busta had fallen off his game. I was slightly suspicious when purchasing Genesis, but any doubts I had were blown away after I finished the album. The production here is some of the hottest I have ever heard. You know the CDs gonna be tight if even the beat in the intro is banging. He unleashed some tight rhymes to the beats of some of the best in the business, including Dre and the Neptunes.

My favorite song is Truck Volume. It's got a killer beat with a heavy bass line that deserves to be blasted at full volume, and some good rapping. Break Ya Neck is another tight track, as Busta keeps his flow perfectly at a hella fast pace over one of the album's strongest beats (courtesy of Dr. Dre). Bounce is another tight track with a strong beat. My only problem with this album is the original Pass the Courvoisier, which is just overall a weak song with some weak rhymes by P. Diddy. The remix was tight though, unfortunately I bought the CD before they added it on. But if you want a tight CD to play in your car, or just to chill to at home, this is a good choice. You won't be disapointed. The CD is pure heat. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Everlast/HOP fan from PA
I am a big Everlast & House Of Pain Fan. I think this CD is great and I think it's great they finally have a greatest hits. Though,the album is missing songs such as "Top o the morning to ya","The Have nots", "Fed Up","Today (watch me shine)","I Can't Move" and "Deadly assassins". But still,the album is great. And it's a must for any Everlast/HOP fans or hip hop fans.

The 2nd review on this page
Hey moron, "Word Is Bond" IS on that CD....you might consider actually listening to the CD before reviewing it. What an idiot.

House Of Everlast.
I've wondered for years why "House Of Pain" had no collections out, and even though this could be better, it's still "On Point". I do wish this included "Top O' The Morning To Ya", "House Of Pain Anthem", "Back From The Dead", and "Beef Jerky", from the "Jerky Boys" soundtrack. But, it does have the classic "Jump Around", "Same As It Ever Was", "Pass The Jinn", and "Just Another Victim", from the "Judgment Night" soundtrack. There's even a couple of 1990 pre-HOP tracks on here from "Everlast". Although I do like his solo stuff, and hope he keeps recording, I think this could have been an all "House Of Pain" collection. Also, chronological order would have been nice to seperate the two eras. Still though, this is 17 tracks of dope beats, and "Fine Malt Lyrics".

Legends...
Many of the kids that listen to hip hop today, might not even know who House of Pain (HOP) was. Unfortunately, this effort will not motivate them to know what a revolutionary hip hop band they were. The content is fine and it's great to hear these jams resurface. But what about jams like "Legends", "Fed Up", "The Have Nots", "X-Files", "Back from the Dead", "Runnin' up on Ya", and "Word is Bond". Because all of these songs and many others are not on this album, the title is definitely not fitting. The same goes for Everlast. From the album cover to the choice of songs, this album falls short of representing what HOP and Everlast have given to the hip hop game. Sadly, someone approved to make this item public before putting together a worthy compilation. ... Read more

Amazon.com

By the time Gang Starr's rapper Guru created the "experimental fusion of hip-hop and jazz" he called Jazzmatazz back in 1993, the idea of blending the two African-American styles had been fairly well explored. But as the first wholly self-conscious genremixing, Jazzmatazz Volume I was at least a decent novelty record. In the two Years that followed, however, jazz rap--from Digable Planets to Buckshot Lefonque to the Roots--grew into a dominant strain of alternative hip-hop.

The good news is that 1995's Jazzmatazz II acknowledges the changing times. Guru ups the ante by collecting artists from R&B (Chaka Khan, Mica Paris) and reggae (Ini Kamoze, Patra) in addition to jazz (Ramsey Lewis, Donald Byrd, Freddie Hubbard) and rap (Kool Keith, Big Shug). The concept broadens to bring together makers of all black music. At best, the songs reflect this more robust brew: "Watch What You Say," for instance, blends Khan's dynamic blue improvisational singing and Branford Marsalis's subdued saxophone phrases with Guru's rap and DJ Premier's unorthodox track of video game sound effects.

The bad news, though, is that Volume II fails in precisely the same places Volume I did. First, Guru still raps with fine tone but little gift for either rhythm or rhyme. In a monotone he self- righteously calls himself "The Lifesaver" but offers only vague solutions like "deal with reality and try to keep focus" to innercity turmoil. Second, except for Khan's vocals and perhaps Lewis' piano solo on "Respect the Architect," the style meshes never get a chance to rise out of the same tried hip-hop form. --Roni Sarig ... Read more

Reviews (9)

The second, and second-best, of the series
This was Guru's second Jazzmatazz project. I purchased this one back in the day solely on having loved the first one.

Jazzmatazz II is solid; not spectacular like the first one. It still has some jazz feel to it but not as much. It's more hip hop but it's still very chill and laidback.

I like the Jamiroquai song; funny to think that they were no-names back then before blowing up a few years later.

Very soulful, mellow, good late-nite listening.

Simply.......Awesome
The best of the 3 jazzmatazzes. It is not nearly as jazz influenced as the 1st but absolutely the most complete of the 3. i love guru and Gangstarr. he is lyrically on point and every song is great. its deep and arranged well. This is one of my top 10 and top 5 hip hop albums in my mind. it takes a few listens to understand the complexity and integrity of this album. Completely original and very trippy when you get down to it. be patient and it will grow on you.

The Fusion Continues
This album continues the fusion of jazz and hip-hop that GURU pushed in his previous release of Jazzmatazz. He stays away and ventures out from the conventional representation of hip-hop in the form of beat samples and often misguided beats. This is one of the most bold musical moves in hip-hop since Kool Herc did dj parties in the Bronx

I don like it..
but I don't like super smooth jazz like that. but I respect the fact that alot of people could like this. It's good for what it is, boring guru-type rapping and super smoove jazz. if you like that, get this you shouldn't be disappointed

Losing the Direction
Guru clearly has one of the best voices in Rap music. He manages to always get his point across without screaming and yelling. Although I am a huge fan of Guru's, I must say I was a little dissappointed with this project. Unlike the first Jazzamatazz CD, this second project sort of lost it's sense of direction. While the first CD concentrated heavily on fusing Jazz and Hip-Hop, this one concentrates more on Hip Hop while the Jazz takes a back seat. The only saving grace on this CD is "Watch What You Say". Guru's slick rhyming skills along with Chaka Khan's fierce vocal improvisational skills makes this song a classic.

Let's hope with the third installation, Guru gets back on the right track. ... Read more

Reviews (43)

Foxy's the best!
This album is one of my favorite rap albums! I love foxy brown. I first discovered her in the "touch me tease me" video by Case. I thought she was so cool! This album is great. But it could've been better if there weren't so many guest rappers. She's an intelligent lady and one hell of a rapper. I like Lil' Kim alot more though. But Foxy's almost just as good too which she proves in this album. I think there could've been a few more songs included on the album. It's too short. Nonetheless, Ill Na Na is a classic! Best songs are "Get Me Home," "If I Could," "Rock The Bells," and "No One's Gonna" don't hesitate to get this album if you don't already own it!! she doesn't disappoint!!

This Is How It Should Be Done!
While the intro "Chicken Coop" is corny and goes on for way too long, it somehow doesn't detract from the overall vibe and brisk pace of this great CD. These are 12 tight tracks, all brilliantly produced, somewhat derivative at times, but a pleasure to blast from your car or in your headphones. "The Promise" is probably my favorite track of all, a thumping, percussive track produced by and featuring Havoc of Mobb Deep.
The fine chemistry between these 2 MC's and their fluid delivery are flawless. "Get Me Home", a smooth, R&B laced collaboration with Blackstreet manages to be radio friendly without sounding watered down. "No One's" is another soul-flavored jam that samples an old 80's jam, but breathes new life into it and Foxy's understated flow compliments the lush backing track to perfection. The album's other big hit ("I'll Be" featuring Jay-Z)ends the LP on a high note and is another collaboration made in hip-hop heaven! Her 2 follow-ups have been less consistent, but when she debuted in 1996 with this fine collection, Foxy Brown raised the stakes for female MC's everywhere. Few have managed to live up to the challenge, including Ms. Brown herself. Personally, I'm awaiting another masterpiece.

Doesn't even write her own songs!!!!!
I'm sick of people comparing this (...) to the likes of talented people like lil' kim. She doesn't even write her own songs and yet they don't impress. When Lil' Kim raps, she is much more clever and can actually rap about sex well because she's more talented than this garbage

I'm Sorry
I was fooled into buying this album. But because of the EYE CANDY featured throughout it's album cover, I wanted it.
But as I listened to it I wasn't really impressed. The whole album sounds very flacid. It's supposed to be a crossover between dance-hip hop and pop. But it failed.
1. Intro...Chicken Coup- She uses a quote from Isaas Hayes. Which gives her image a Blaxploitation feel from the seventies3/10
2.Letter to the Firm- A demented song which shows loyalty to "The Firm". Even if is means dying for them in the electric chair.6/10
3. Foxy Bells- Good lyrics, but the song could have been funkier.2/10
4.Get Me Home- Good R&B song that will stay mainstream for years.6/10
5. The promise- A rather dark song, that isn't produced well.0/10
6. Interlude...The Set Up- Foxy, and The Firm set up a sting operation against her boyfriend.5/10
7. If I...- A very depressing song he about how she could go back in time to change a relationship.5/10
8. The Chase- Teh song is based on car chases in gangster movies.
9. Ill Nana- She establishes who she is in the rap game. Talks about how she has the "illest thing".5/10
10. No one's- A quite demented and eerie song, about what she would do to love her man, who dumped her.5/10
11. Fox Boogie- Ill Nana II. Except she tells people to party.3/10
12. I'll Be- Foxy tells how good she will be in bed, and that she has the "illest spot".6/10
13. Outro- She uses a quote from Isaas Hayes. Which gives her image a Blaxploitation feel from the seventies.3/10

This album may be dance friendly, but there is an eerie feeling to it that may keep you thinking.

A Great Album!
This is Foxy's best album! her debut CD! It's a classic! I bought an import version of this which I found at a flea market and it has a bonus track titled "Who Be Da Baddest" featuring
The Firm. It's a great cool song too! Highlights off this album are "Get Me Home" featuring Blackstreet, "I'll Be" featuring Jay-Z, "If I Could," "High Speed Chase" and "No One's Gonna"
A great album from rap's best female rapper, 2nd to Lil' Kim.
if you don't already own ILL NA NA, then pick it up today. I myself own two copies of it! Her second and third albums aren't as good as her first one though! ... Read more

Reviews (15)

A Great Album, Every Song
I originally purchased this album due to one song, "I'd Die Without You". Very rarely have I been rewarded with as great an album as this one.

It starts with a short intro, apparently from an actual psychic reading Prince Be had done, and transitions nicely into the second track. From that point on, you're treated to a great variety of music, blending funk, R&B, and a little rap even, to a wonderful musical sound that varies from the slow ballads of "I'd Die Without You" and "More Than Likely", to some more bass-heavy, yet not overpowering songs.

They even covered The Beatles' "Norwegian Wood", and it sounds just as magical as the rest of the album.

There were times in college, dealing with some negative situations, that I would use this CD and it's uplifting feelings and sounds to cheer up my mood, and it worked flawlessly - any time I felt bad, simply playing this album would make me feel better.

It may be a little dated now, but anyone who likes P.M. Dawn would be nuts to be without this wonderful musical selection.

As Close to Bliss as one can get....
This album, simply put, cannot be beat. If you've ever wanted to hear "perfect" music, this is the CD. Every single song has its own qualities and attributes. Most are heavy ballads, with high quality synth sounds mixed with the serenity of a grand piano. Soft hip-hop beats are fused in between new age themes and godlike harmonies to make something completely unique. It's hard to categorize this music, but that's not the point. The point is, it's great songwriting, great instrumentation, and sublime vocals.

This is not a SACD
Why does everyone keep stating that this is a SACD,trust me its not.As for the music this is a well composed CD.This CD is like walking through some fantasy land and coming across up and down beats and what can you say about the Princes voice.Boy George jumps in for a little action as well.This Cd takes me back to my college days which is nice.Once again this is not a SACD but that doesnt make the music bad

A purely listenable CD from start to finish
To put it quite plainly, this CD is great. As other reviews on this site have pointed out, the music on this disc runs the gamut from hard to mellow. What makes this CD so wonderful is that regardless of whether your tastes lean to the hard or mellow side, the entire package has such a smooth flow that you can't help but be drawn into the music.

It's difficult to place this disc into a given category, except for perhaps "Excellent", and therefore I recommend it to everyone, regardless of what sort of music you enjoy listening to. This is the sort of CD that might unexpectedly broaden the limits of your musical taste; I know it did just that for me.

A Work of Art
These guys are incredible. Very well done music as always. My only regret is that they seemed to move away from their generic spirituality to a more christian centered theme. But its only noticable in a few places. Well worth the money as any PM Dawn CD would be. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

3 stars because Biggie and Kim are on it, but that's it!!
When Biggie's Ready to Die dropped, he kept yelling out, "Junior M.A.F.I.A." and people kept wondering who in the world they are. The answer to our questions came when "Players Anthem" and "I Need You Tonight" (featuring Aaliyah) came out, and most of us ran to the store to cop the album. Anything having to do with Biggie has to be good, right?

Wrong, this album was such a disappointment. I gave it one extra star because Biggie drops such amazing verses that I would have been a fool not to buy the album. The best song is not "Get Money" but "Oh My Lord" (produced by Special Ed) where he drops extra-nice rhymes. Also, Lil' Kim has such a dope flow that no one cared if Biggie wrote her rhymes. But with the exception of Lil' Cease, the other members were wack. Songs like "Lyrical Wizardry" and even "White Chalk" (with that dope "flatline" beat) suffer from too many Biggie-inspired lyrics and rappers who just aren't dope enough. Even the intro and outro seem like a ripoff from Ready to Die. Not to mention there are absolutely no "beats" on the whole album. Buy this album only to hear Biggie and Kim rock the mic.

I Won't Be 2 Harsh
Junior M.A.F.I.A. are not real rappers. "Conspiracy" has its delights(Player's Anthem; Realms of Junior M.A.F.I.A.; Get Money), but they never really show us who Junior M.A.F.I.A. is. Biggie and Lil' Kim seem to be the only ones who are noticable on this album, because the other rappers go from song to song rapping about the same things(murder, drugs, sex). No wonder Pac dissed them. The main point is buy Biggie's two albums(not Born Again) and Lil' Kim's debut if you want better music.

(...)

Junior M.A.F.I.A - Should Be Called Suspect Rappers
A group living in the shadow of Notorious B.I.G. The album is only good for some of Biggie's and Kim's verses. All of the others in this group suck badly including Lil' Ceases no talent self.

aiight!!!!
ok, every body knows junior mafia lives in the shadow of biggie, but to be fair the album isnt all that bad. my favourite tune on tha album is players anthem,its the best tune by the group b4 they split. lil cease seems to be the most known male member of the crew, but lets face it he sucks. but in some way i like one of his single from his own album. u need to check out that tune "play around" its phat.

Biggie's M.A.F.I.A is more like it.
Junior Mafia is Biggie's weak version of Tupac's Outlawz. The only reason I would buy this album would be to listen to Biggie's sick flow and lyrics. Every lyric Biggie laces is perfect. Junior M.A.F.I.A just brings him down although Lil' Kim and Lil' Cease complement him nicely on "Get Money", "Realms of Junior M.A.F.I.A", and "Player's Anthem." ... Read more

Amazon.com

The burning question for this soundtrack is, Can rapper Queen Latifah handle the vocal demands a Pearl Bailey-ish character singing standards by Billy Strayhorn, Irving Gordon, and Randazzo & Weinstein? The answer is yes. Her rendering of Strayhorn's "Lush Life" is particularly pleasant, and is produced and arranged beautifully by Mervyn Warren, who did most of the work on the album. Danny DeVito takes a stab at the Gershwins' "They Can't Take That Away from Me" and delivers it adequately, with a touch of charm. The disc also includes originals by Sly & the Family Stone, Dean Martin, and Mel Tormé. The only drawback is the slightly Muzak-like smooth-jazz score by George Fenton, presented in snippets at the end. --Aaron Tassano ... Read more

Reviews (37)

Yummy, yummy, yummy....
After seeing this movie, I ran home immediately to order the CD. For lovers of Word Jazz, for music lovers of all kinds, it is impossible to listen to this and not get all warm and fuzzy inside and goosebumps on the outside. Queen Latifah, throw out your rap shoes, honey, you were meant to sing these songs, the delicious creations of the greats. Lush Life is wonderful, Clark Anderson's Give Me Something Real - well, I'm at a loss for words. The silver throat of Mel Torme, Etta James' unforgettable At Last, I simply love this soundtrack,with its fun cherry on top snappy Danny deVito rendition of They Can't That Away From Me. Just when I thought the music couldn't be more perfect for every moment, it finished with Sly and The Family Stone's Hot Fun In The the Summertime, which sent me out of the theatre smiling and "coo-coo-coo-coo when I want to." Get this one. It'll warm up your winter to a third degree sizzle.

Fabulous!
I LOVED the movie Living Out Loud (and bought the DVD), and the soundtrack is incredible. Queen Latifah needs to do a complete jazz album because her voice is rich, sultry, and a joy to listen to. Her voice is absolutely intoxicating, especially on her renditions of "Lush life" and "Going Out of My Head." Other great tunes include the wonderful "Give Me Something Real" and "If You Love Me", which is played duting my favorite scene in the movie (the choreographed dance at the Confessional).

BUY THIS CD NOW! You WON'T REGRET IT!!!!!!

Listen Out Loud!
Rented this movie a couple of years ago and just fell in love with it. The soundtrack just grabbed me, and especially Queen Latifah's renditions of Lush Life and most particularly, Going Out of My Head. I normally wouldn't give a soundtrack a second thought, but this was so delicious. The Queen is simply wonderful. I've never listened to her do rap (and won't). She needs to do some jazz and R&B in the same mold. She's got such a rich, lush voice! I highly recommend this collection of songs.

Queen Latifah's tracks are grand.
After hearing her on this album and seeing her work in the film "Chicago," I think it's past time a record producer talked Queen Latifah, rap star and actress, into doing a strict jazz album. I've heard others compare her work on this album to that of Pearl Bailey. Her voice is so rich, and, singing the blues, you can hear both amusement and pain in her tones. In fact, her recording of "Lush Life" is so accomplished that you do a double-take, thinking this cannot be the "U.N.I.T.Y." rapper. But it is.

The rest of the album, alas, is less thrilling. Danny DeVito's a good enough vocalist, but he just sounds like someone who could wow people at a karaoke bar, little more than that.

The other tunes, minus the Fenton score tracks that are heavy on piano and light on mood, are jazz and pop standards you could find on any number of albums.

But Latifah, singing her heart out and winning over new fans, triumphs.

Can't Get Enough of this!
I enjoyed this quirky movie when it came out, but the soundtrack is just fantastic! This is a great compilation of wonderful music. I love movies and am always noting the soundtrack deciding on whether it is something to buy. I have worn out two CD's of this one and now want another for myself and one to give to a friend. Who knew Queen Latifah had musical chops like this? Too bad she wastes her talent on so much rap music. She was beautiful in the movie too. Buy it, Keep it! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Modern-day bluesman G. Love, known to more skeptical ears as 23-year-old blue-eyed devil Garrett Dutton, shone briefly as hip-hop's great white hope when he released a debut record that paired blues-based playing with vocals that approximated rap. Though he was initially grouped with acts like Beck and Soul Coughing--pale faces who flirted with hip-hop but stuck to rock esthetics--we know now that young Master Dutton has far less in common with those inventive postmodernists than he does with, say, Jamie Walters, the pretty-boy pop dullard of Beverly Hills 90210 fame.

Coast to Coast Motel, the singer/guitarist's second shot with his bass and drums ensemble Special Sauce, does not even grant us the minor pleasures of his debut's "blues rap" novelty. This time, Mr. G focuses primarily on the R&B sounds of New Orleans, where the band recorded the album. That G. Love counts John Hammond Jr. an inspiration is telling: What Coast to Coast Motel offers is bratty suburban recreations of Hammond's competent but uninspired blueblood appropriations of classic blues music. New Special Sauce tunes like "Kiss & Tell" and "Bye Bye Baby" are absolutely fine but inauthentic and unnecessary given the breadth of great blues already available to motivated listeners. And any college-educated kid, like Garrett, who insists on singing with the slurred drawl of elderly sharecroppers needs to be slapped silly.--Roni Sarig

... Read more

Reviews (12)

The Blues Man Cometh
Wassup? I am a G. Love & Special Sauce fan and I love everything by them. "Coast To Coast Motel" is hard for me to decribe though. It was recorded in New Orleans and has a real nice bluesy feel, similar to some songs in G. Love's first album. There are some songs like "Kiss and Tell" that have a nice feeling to them, but if you want my honest opinion... when I first bought the album when it was released, I found it kinda dry and not until recently have I grown to appreciate the tracks more. But, there is alot of talent here and a nice laid-back easy feeling. My recommendation is that if you are a new fan of G's, don't start with this CD, but give it a chance once you have tried his other stuff. Peace and One Love!

Just excellent music
I can't believe this album got a negative review. Neither can I believe G. Love is getting negative press in other reviews...

This is what this album has to offer: it's got its own unique, creative sound - as every G. Love album - and it will grow on you like pleasure. I've had this album for several years, and I still get so down into it every time I hear it.

If you like artists from all walks of music because they create their own vein of music without fitting in an easy box ( e.g. B. Harper, Morcheeba, Sublime, M. Ndegeacelo, J. Buckley, GURU, Albert King, the Beatles and M. Davis), this will undoubtedly satisfy you. It took a few listening to grow on me, as I had other G. Love albums which sound a bit rawer.

Discovering G. Love is one of those rare times when you think: damn, I found an incredible artist with a new sound. A sound that's not just new, but simply feels so good you can't quite believe it. Perhaps playing everyday since childhood and growing up in a musical environment helped, but this is someone with immense raw talent.

The sound bites help, but are not sufficent to get a real feel for this sound. Hey G. Love, may you keep putting out this quality and variety for many years!

More Folk Oriented, But Still Very Good
The droll humor and wistful breeziness flaunted on G's first release is transformed into a more subdued, folk-oriented follow up album. After first listen, I didn't think much of this release, but it grew on me in time. The singles Sweet Sugar Mama and Kiss and Tell are equally enticing, but other tracks like the optimistic Leaving the City, the dreary Sometimes, and the brilliant, big band foray of Bye Bye Baby are the best songs, making up the foundation of the record. Although it's quite disparate from the band's other releases, Coast to Coast Motel is nearly paramount in quality to G's other releases, and it will definately start to rub off on you after a few listens.

From Joe Pops with Love, G. Love
Wow, this is a great album, I can't believe it got a negative review. "Small Fish" is da bomb.

Cocktail Blues for the Po-Mo Set
If you like to listen to popular music because it entertains you, rather than making some big artistic statement, then you will disregard all of the negative reviews of this disc and buy it. G. Love is one of a long line of white musicians that have strip-minined the blues for influences to produce a highly listenable bit of pop, al la early Elvis.

Unlike overly reverent preservationists like John Hammond Jr. and Eric Claption, G. Love's take on the blues is similar to the tongne-in-cheek mimicry of urban hipsters the John Spencer Blues Explosion. However, unlike the Blues Explosion' hybrid blaxploitation/trailer trash sound of discs like ACME and ORANGE, G. Love produces a sound that is softer, yet more beat driven, a sort of cocktail blues for the po-mo set.

I think that one of the charms of non-Southerners G. Love and John Spencer is that they are making the kinds of blues-influenced pop that Southern men used to make and seem unable to produce anymore. ... Read more

Amazon.com

A massive double disc packed with 33 tracks--a few new cuts, many old faves, and some rare B-sides--Full Clip presents a decent overview of the group's impressive 10-year sonic canon. Gang Starr standards spanning the likes of "Manifest" (from their 1989 debut, No More Mr. Nice Guy), to the anti stick-up kid rhetoric of "Just to Get a Rep" (off of 1991's Step in the Arena), to "Soliloquy of Chaos," their rapturous criticism of violence at rap shows (culled from 1992's Daily Operation), as well as "Code of the Streets" and "Mass Appeal" (both taken from 1994's Hard to Earn), are all represented in full. Additionally, there are plenty of tasty B-sides like "Credit Is Due" and "The ? Remains," tucked in alongside soundtrack contributions like the pioneering jazz/hip-hop jammie "Jazz Thing" from Spike Lee's Mo' Better Blues. And the new tracks, such as the lumbering, scratch-filled "Full Clip," prove that Gang Starr are still very capable of concocting relevant, head-bangin' hip-hop madness. If there are any complaints with Full Clip, it's that the compilation tends to lean more heavily toward the group's later efforts (only one joint off Mr. Nice Guy is included while there are at least five represented from each of their '92, '94, and '98 efforts). Plus there are a few noticeable omissions, specifically "Love Sick," Guru's tasty lament from Step in the Arena. But the gist of the Full Clip compendium is to celebrate Gang Starr's noteworthy career by presenting a broad overview of the duo's work, and to that end, it delivers in spades. --Spence Abbott ... Read more

Reviews (80)

Gang Starr one of the best yet.
The legendary Gang Starr has to be one of the best ever in hip-hop. This collection contains over a decade of their hits. If you're a real hip-hop head, you gotta love Premiere's trademark production with mixed samples and Guru's always intelligent and punishing lyrics. There's so many classics in this collection. Tracks like "You Know My Steez", "Just to get a Rep", "Words I Manifest", "I'm The Man", "The Militia", and "Full Clip", etc. There's just so many classics to name. I recommend this album to real hip-hop fans, cause pop-rap listeners might not like it. Shout out to all the true hip-hop fans. Keep real hip-hop alive!

Almost Everything A Gang Starr Fan Could Ask For
Gang Starr's Full Clip has just about every notable song the duo has made. This double album also features many hard-to-find b-sides and remixes for the collector. The production is amazing and Guru never goes wrong on the mic. Check out all of the classics: "Mass Appeal", "Just To Get A Rep (version with an extra verse)", "You Know My Steez", "Words I Manifest (Remix)", "DWYCK", "The ? Remainz", "Take It Personal", etc. All of the new tracks are top-notch too. The only songs that I believe should have been on here that are missing are "Love Sick", "Doe In Advance", "2 Deep", and "Sucka's Need Bodyguards". Otherwise, this compilation is perfect. If you don't own any Gang Starr, let this introduce you to one of hip-hop's greatest groups.

Essential for ANY rap collection!
I bought this album without listening to it, expecting good, but cliche rap. I'll admit I didn't like it at first, but now it is among my 5 favorite albums. Gang Starr consists of Guru, the Master of the Monotone, the MC of the group. Next is DJ Premier, who supplies the great beats and skilled record scratching. Although I didn't really like the monotone at first, it grows on you. Gang Starr is a great duo with a good message and a good sound, and that is becoming rare these days. If you don't have this album, buy it. It is money well spent.

Excellent collection. Comprehensive Hits.
This is one hot collection that really stands out. This is one of those instant classics, and composed of real rap. Rugged, hardcore, and down to earth without the bling. Gang Starr is a infinte duo. Get this album on the definite!

what more can I say?
that has already been said by 80 other reviewers that have given this product a 5 out of 5 average... A career spanning disc of the sick Gangstarr crew...

The new track is sweetness too...

peace, ... Read more

Album Description

Disposable Arts begins with Ace’s character being release from prison and returning to his block, a metaphor for the five-year hiatus he took before returning to the rap game prior to this release. From there we follow Ace from BK to a college campus and ride with him as he leaves his hood in search of an education beyond the streets.

More than a concept album, Disposable Arts showcases Ace exceptional flow and highlights his own inner demons about the rap game. Ace’s versatility as an MC is evidenced throughout, and his knack for soulful producers (Ayatolla, Domingo, Paul Nice etc) and sharp-witted guests (Jean Grae, Greg Nice, Rah Digga, Wordsworth) make Disposable Arts a memorable edition to Hip Hop’s encyclopedia. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

4.5, let's round up to 5 huh?
This is the re-release of the album that first came out not too long ago back in '01. I was introduced to Ace last year with his solid "A Long Hot Summer," which is a prequel to this. It took a couple run-throughs but I really began to feel this. I gave "ALHS" 4 stars so I got to rate this one higher because it's even better. I found this story to be more interesting and the execution was better.
Almost every song is good or above-average on the whole album. "ALHS" kinda fell apart in the middle. This one keeps the momentum until tracks 19-21, the only ones I'm not feelin' too much. I guess he just had to make his sexual presence known along w/ Punch & Words on "I Like Dat," and he might be mocking others' materialism on "P.T.A.," but isn't too exciting. "Type I Hate" is very bitter, although I can overstand if he needed to get some things off his chest along with Rah Digga there. The only other song that can be considered filler is "Something's Wrong," which is inconsistent but has a hot first verse by Strick.
Although Ace's flow is lacksadaisical and his voice nothing to rave about, what I like about him is his ability to handle the concepts. He'll pick a topic for a song and stick to it. He won't just lay back and brag the whole time. Not only does he craft concept albums, but concept songs within them! Plus he's sick with the metaphors, even if some of them are pop-culture references. My favorite song here, for some reason, is "Dear Yvette"(w/ Jane Doe). Here he tries to reach out to a woman who makes her money through stripping and sex and she rejects his help. This song just reminds me of a late-90's hit that you might hear on the radio, only this one actually has good lyrics. Other outstanding songs are conceptual ones like "Unfriendly Game" and "Hold U" and also "Take A Walk" where he paints a vivid picture of the ghetto (another one of his specialties).
Other very good songs are "Block Episode,"(a concept too, told from 3 different perspectives) the inspiring reggae-flavored "Every Other Day, then "Enuff" and "Dear Diary"-two more concepts there. "Enuff" is really good. Greg Nice hypes up "Don't Understand" nicely, and "Too Long" is a great leadoff announcing his return. The short "Alphabet Soup" is the ultimate concept here, although the song may not be too impressive if you're not paying attention too closely.
So, I've named a couple handfuls of good songs for you already. Masta Ace is an underrated legend in Hiphop, and he carves a niche with "Disposable Arts" with the story told and the multiple concepts he carries out. Not only do his lyrical topics run the gamut, but the beats do as well! Truly, whatever no-names helped him out delivered with enjoyable beats throughout. They take you through a range of emotions and vibes, and compliment Ace and his guests accordingly. Even the beats on tracks 19-21 are superb. The only thing I can gripe about are some lacklustre guest spots and multiple same word rhymes: a couple by Ace but mostly by guests(calling out Strick with his lines ending in "running back")! Ya gotta watch that! I won't even bitch about the length, filler, and # of tracks on "Disposable Arts" because it didn't bother me too much. So check out this re-release because it truly elevated my opinion of Masta Ace even though I had heard his "A Long Hot Summer" cd. Hiphop is beautiful and it's life!

Conceptual Street Narratives with Social Overtones
Simpleton thug emcees should take a page from Masta Ace's notebook. In it they'll be bombarded with intricate, socially-aware street tales that are told, more often than not, from multiple perspectives. For instance, on the Latin-guitar-laced "Block Episode," Ace narrates from his window as an athletic, prospective university student (played by Wordsworth) gets killed by stray bullets in a shoot-out-gone wrong. Punch (the shooter) explains of Words' friend that owes him money, "I don't wanna kill him I just wanna teach this cat a lesson;" while Words boasts "my records 4.0 GPA going to Harvard." The song is a blatant condemnation of black-on-black violence, and contains just one of the many conceptual themes found on "Disposable Arts." Elsewhere Ace turns down drug dealing for college on "Goodbye Lisa," pokes fun at the hollowness and materialism of the rap game on "Enuff," and compares the crews on his block to football teams, with dealers and runners playing offense and defense, competing in an "Unfriendly Game." He then shows that he is human by contradicting himself on the consumerist "P.T.A" and thuggish "Somethin's Wrong." From battling ("Acknowledge") to finding true love ("Hold U") to exploring other people's insecurities ("Dear Yvette," "Type I Hate"), Ace makes sure no leaf is left unturned on "Disposable Arts." He gives vindication to the street album by delving much further into the ghetto mind-set than any emcee has ever dared to go, all while promoting conscious values such as staying in school, avoiding the drug game, and squashing violence. This is a must own for hip-hop heads.

"The [re]Release"... (4.5 Stars)
Originally released in 2001, Masta Ace's "Disposable Arts" is the epitome of an exceptional thematic-concept album. The basic theme of the album is how the hood can come back to bite you, despite leaving it in the past. Cryptic? Yes, but truthful. But in the midst of the focal point lies other layers, including happiness, sadness, humor, regret, nostalgia, and social awareness, all elements that are incorporated in the album with importance and ease. From start to finish, there is exceptional song after exceptional song, each building off each other with what proceeds, and each crafted so well that by the end of seventy-third minute, you'll have no other choice but to start from track one again. Highlights include the catchy "Enuff", the retrospective "Block Episode", the melancholic "Unfriendly Game", "No Regret", & "Dear Yvette", the reggae-flavored "Every Other Day", the simplistic but introspective "Type I Hate", the mocking of rappers who believe in their own hype in "Acknowledge", and the best track, the metaphoric "Hold U", which invokes an old-school soulful vibe. Similar to a lot of his albums, there are numerous interludes. Most of the time, they aren't needed. While I do feel there are one or two too much, they are relevant in this case, contributing to the "concept album" factor (and they are pretty funny, like "Roommates Meet"). But even with the abundance of interludes, it still doesn't diminish the quality this album. Nor does time; although released four years ago, it still sounds fresher and better, and is more innovatively complex than any contemporary rap album.

2001 Re-release
FYI, this is a re-release of Masta Ace's 4th album that originally dropped in 2001. It precedes last year's 'Long Hot Summer' album. This album - and everything else Ace has done - is for all you true hip-hop fans who like their lyrics and storylines intelligent, witty and honest, over a nice collection of beats. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This Newark, N.J. trio recalls the busy style of Das EFX, especially on "Check It" and "Funky Child." Master producer Marley Marl tempers underground rawness with rich beats, hot horn breaks, and chocking bass lines. --Jeff Bateman ... Read more

Reviews (8)

From da Bricks comes funky old-school Hip-Hop at it's Best.
"Funky, funky sh*t." In three words or less, that's the only way to do this debut LP justice.
From the grimiest (One can only envision w/ hearing this CD) part of Newark, NJ emerges the Lords of the Underground. Influenced by fellow NJ rapper Redman (It seems all NJ rappers give mad props to Red) and backed by legendary funky producer Marley-Marl, the LOTUG create a GEM of an album.
Although their style is in the likeness of a more clear and coherent Das-EFX, the LOTUG come off with high-energy originality. This is not a mellow album, it's a fast-paced ride through Newark's dirty underworld (at least that's how I see it).
The best track (because it's so hilarious and original) is the "Sleep for Dinner (Remix)," with it's woeful tales of hunger in the ghetto...they somehow make it seem humerous. Also look for "Chief Rocka," "L.O.T.U.G," & "What's Goin' On?" These four tracks alone have beats that blow my mind.
You should know that every track is sick. This is one of those albums that can be listened to straight through again & again (the likes of which we really haven't seen any of in the past few years).
Bottom Line: Amazing funky beats & on-point original lyrics make this a masterpiece of an album. I recommend this to any fan of REDMAN, ARTIFACTS, DAS-EFX, MARLEY-MARL or any fan of funky hip-hop. 5 stars. Peace.

The Lords do it all
This is an absolute classic like the other stuff from "A Tribe, Mob Deep, etc.". Back in 1993 when HipHop/RAP was there but not such a multi-million dollar business like today with the cents and the eminems this CD got me hooked on the whole HipHop thing. It was only possible to find such "underground" groups in special and rare shops back then, can you imagine?! ;-). I would say they are underground still and only known to the "old" Headz out there. Well, most of the tracks are really good even the first time you listen in on the CD. Although my all time favorite- however old I will be- is "What I am after" which is actually on their 2nd CD- absoulte funky, a BURNER. Unfortunately they only published a Vinyl years later which wasn't all that good. I don't know if we are going to see a Lords album ever again.

Unlike today I can not find one track on this album which is not good or sucks even after repeated listening- of course this is subjective. Like albums from A Tribe, Common, Pete Rock, Mos Def the Lords should be in anyones HipHop collection.

What happened to Good rap like this?
Everything that comes out now is WACK. No more Tribe, no more Lords...this album would blow ANYTHING on the radio now out of the water. The lyrics are tight, the beats are BANGIN. This is 100% Grade-A HEAD BOBBIN MUSIC people, if you are a recovering ...-hop listener and would like to begin to educate yourself in the school of TRUE, TIME-TESTED hiphop, buy this cd. You will NOT be sorry.

chief rocka
clasic man these mugs are the lorsds produced my marley marl the beats are hitting and I am still feeling this after all trhese years.

Blasting and funky Hip Hop classic
This record is full of energy and passion. The flows of Doitall and Mr. Funky are fluid and tight, inspired by some ragamuffin influences (a little bit like Das Efx, but with much less gimmicks). The production by Marley Marl is a real treat. The horns and the beats are sequenced in a very rhythmic and inspired way. It sounds as funky and blasting now as it did in 1993. Some of the tracks here like Funky Child, Madd Skillz, Chief Rocka or Sleep for dinner are instant head nodders and you probably have already heard them somewhere before. The whole album however deserves listening and quality control is maintained on most of the tracks. You can feel the love and passion these guys have for Hip Hop throughout the record and it is in my view an essential purchase. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

One of the best Old School Albums ever!
This features one of the three kings of old school rap Rob Base and his awesome partner who is known as DJ E-Z Rock. This album features two of the most popular songs in the eighties "It Takes Two" and "Joy and Pain". The other two kings of old school rap are Tone Loc and his awesome album "Loc-ed After Dark" and Maestro Fresh-Wes with his bass pumping ablbum "Symphony in Effect". This album is an absolute must, if you are a old school rap enthusiast!

Best Rap Cd next to the Chronic by dre
there isn't one bad song or average song on the album, all 10 songs are classics.

This is the best from the old school- ever!
This cd starts with the two greatest songs by the two. How can one compare? It rocks!

Old skool kickin it!!!
So rob base and DJ EZ rock are the best on this disk. Joy and Pain has to be one of the best songs ever written. If you remember when this cd came out, then you know the real qualities it holds! ... Read more