Aesop Rock - Daylight

http://www.sendspace.com/file/lvmyda

1. Daylight
2. Night Light
3. Nickel Plated Pockets
4. Alchemy (feat. Blueprint)
5. Forest Crunk
6. Bracket Basher
7. Maintenance
- One of Four (Thank You) [hidden track]

Aesop Rock found himself in a somewhat surprising position with the release of his 2001 classic Labor Days. Not only had he dropped his magnum opus and manged to move a respectable amount of records for an indie artist, but he also found himself with his first hit single (college radio hit anyways). "Daylight" threw Aesop headfirst in to underground stardom with its laid back production and clever lyrics. The song was the perfect entry level tune to introduce new fans with. It featured Aesops erratic flow and dense lyrics, but in a more tame and managed manner. His lyrics were much easier to decipher than on most of his songs, and to top it all off Aesop strung the track together with a ridiculously catchy hook. Def Jux knew a good thing when they saw it, and after the initial success of "Daylight" they decided to spin it off in to its own ep; surprisingly one that doesn't sound at all like a cheap cash-grab. Daylight EP ranks up there with the best of Aesop's material, and is a must own for of inventive Underground Hip hop

The EP starts of course with "Daylight"; it is the showcase here after all, but following that we're thrown head first in to what can only be described as a re-imagining of the hit single. "Night Light" finds Ace pretty much taking every lyric and flow on "Daylight" and switching it with a darker, more sinister counterpart. For example the original "Daylight" starts off:

"Yo...put one up to shackle me, not clean logic procreation
I did not invent the wheel I was the crooked spoke adjacent
While the triple sixers lassos keep angels roped in the basement
I walk the block with a halo and a stick poking your patience"

"Night Light" flips the lyrics with:

"Put one up shackle me, not clean logic procreation
I did invent the wheel, in a previous generation
While the triple sixers lassos keep angels roped in the basement
I locate modern halos and pass em out to the pavement"

The production also reflects the darker tone of the track with a more slowed down, ominous sound. In all honestly the track does come across somewhat corny and unnecessary, but as a fan of the original it's a fun listen all the same. Thankfully the rest of the EP doesn't come across nearly as silly. "Nickle Plated Pockets" is produced by the always on point EL-P and finds Aesop absolutely killing the track with some of his most vivid imagery to date. The way he paints New York here is so descriptive you can damn near close your eyes and see yourself there.

"Walk into the store, same pocket, same nickels
In a city where every crack in the sidewalk's a symbol
Where there's crack in the basement, where there's crack in the slave ships
Where there's crack whores and corrupt pigs killing cats trying to crack cases"

Next up is the absolutely legendary collaboration with Blueprint; "Alchemy". This was actually my first introduction to Blueprint as both a rapper and producer, and needless to say it left me a life-long fan. Blueprint drops one of the all-time greatest Hip Hop verses ever here. His flow and vocals are absolutely monstrous, and he commands the mic in such a way that you almost feel sorry for Aesop having to follow him up. For me this is easily the highlight of the album, and I still to this day get chills when I hear those opening words from Print: "I spit with an immense amount of power". Indeed

Afterwords is the Blockhead produced instrumental song "Forest Crunk" which is another favorite of mine. The track features no vocals whatsoever, but it's still a dope beat and a welcomed interlude. Some may look at it as filler, but personally I just see it as Blockhead (who produces 5 of the 8 songs) getting his time to shine. Though admittedly it would have been interesting to here Ace spit over the unconventional instrumental. "Bracket Basher" is probably the weakest joint on the album, but even that isn't bad. It just doesn't reach the highs that the rest of the ep does. Last but certainly not least is the albums ending track(s). The final song on the tracklist is "Maintenance" which features a superb Blockhead beat that matches Aesop so perfectly that it really couldn't have been produced by anyone else.

The real reason to be excited here though is the hidden track tacked on at the end. You may notice that "Maintenance" has a staggering 24 minute running time; long enough to make even the biggest Aesop Rock fans question if tackling the track is a feasible goal. In reality though the song only runs 4 minutes and some change, and what follows is about 15 minutes of silence. After all that though we're treated to not only a bonus track, but what may be one of Aesop Rock's best songs ever. "One of Four (Thank You)" is the most personal track Ace has ever committed to record. The song is self produced and finds Aesop delving in to the darkest period of his life; his mental breakdown. It's literally the most revealing glimpse we've ever gotten in to Aesop's past. It goes in to great detail about his mental instability and the breakdown he suffered in 2001, then explains and thanks all the people that helped him pull through it. The song is absolutely stuffed with quotables so it's near pointless to try to pick out just one, but I always thought this hit rather hard

"I owe you all my life and please don't argue with that statement
'Cause without y'all I may not have a life to offer, take it"

It's an amazing way to end the ep, and you almost have to wonder if it wouldn't have been better served as an album cut. Then again maybe that's the way Ace wanted it. the song is so deeply personal he went through the trouble of hiding it behind 15 minutes of nothingness; it really is for the people closest to him and no one else, so it seems fitting that he would choose to share it with only his most hardcore fans. All in all this EP is nothing short of amazing, and it really does have a little something for everyone. If I had to recommend just one Aesop Rock project to someone who had never heard his music, this would probably be it. True it does have one or two songs that aren't essential to the Aesop legacy, but everything else here is pure gold.

Pros
-Some of Aesops best songwriting
-Production is fantastic
-Blueprint kills his verse

Cons
-"Night Light" is kind of corny

Overall 4/5

Aesop Rock - Labor Days

http://www.mediafire.com/?cr57j926zy960km

1. Labor
2. Daylight
3. Save Yourself
4. Flashflood
5. No Regrets
6. One Brick feat. Illogic
7. The Tugboat Complex Pt.3
8. Coma
9. Battery
10.Boombox
11. Bent Life feat. C-Rayz-Walz
12. The Yes And The Y'All
13. 9-5ers Anthem
14. Shovel

By the time Aesop released Labor Days in 2001 he was already a somewhat established artist in the Underground scene. His first LP (Music for Earthworms) and EP (Appleseed) were both self released and didn't make all that much impact, but soon Aesop was drafted to Indy label Mush and released his first commercially (Ha!) available album Float. The lp was a sleeper hit, and while it wasn't overly successful in its sales it was still enough to peak the interest of Legendary mc/producer and DefJux label owner EL-P. It wasn't long before Aesop was signed with the record label in what would turn out to be a match made in heaven. Aesop stayed with Jux right up the very end, spending the better part of 10 years with the label before it went under. In that time he managed to release 3 LPs and 2 EPs, and while all were considered critical darlings it was Labor Days that would come to be known as Aesop's Magnum Opus.

Perhaps the most immediately impressive thing about this album is the fact that it was released only one short year after Float. The amount of growth here, both sonically and as a lyricist is staggering. Labor Days takes the groundwork laid by Float and effortlessly builds and expands upon it. Everything here is bigger and better, yet tighter and more focused. Instead of a bloated 20 track project, Labor clocks in at a perfect 14 track; 61 minute running time. I suppose this could be attributed to the fact that the album itself plays out almost as a concept record, albeit a loose one. Instead of one driving storyline though Aesop focuses on an overall theme; The struggle that the average person deals with day in and day out, grinding away at a 9-to-5 that they're not happy with. While on paper it seems like a fairly mundane topic to be covered in an Underground LP, it's executed in such a way that it comes across absolutely dark and soul crushing. Aesop views the world through a very cynical lens and he pulls absolutely no punches here when expressing his displeasure for the rat race that keeps people from pursuing their true passions in life.

What may be most interesting though is the underlying positivity that Aesop manages to sneak into his bleak soundscapes. On first listen the album is a very dark and brooding affair, but on closer inspection little rays of sunlight begin to creep through the darkness. For example on "Battery"; what may be my favorite Aesop Rock song of all time we find Aesop declaring

"Yo change the fuckin channel. I burn a Coma candle
When the flame fades, consider my flatline a soldier's sample
We them cats talkin noise behind that New York trash heap
Where the stench of commuter briefcase replaces a bad sleep
And it's, worker zig-zagers versus piggy batch flashers
Training Generation Fallout
Waterfall bricklayer pincushion crawl out
There's smoke in my iris
But I painted a sunny day on the insides of my eyelids
So I'm ready now (What you ready for?)
I'm ready for life in this city
And my wings have grown almost enough to lift me
I'm a dinosaur with Jones Beach in my hourglass
Passing the time with serial killer coloringbooks and bags of marbles
Don't tell me you ain't the droid that held the match to the charcoals
Don't tell me Lucifer and God don't carpool (This is our school)
I'm not trying to graduate to life at the curse on the lounge barstool
Head in a jar on the desk, feet dangling in a shark pool"

That's half of the first verse, and in that short span of time Aesop manages to express almost ever range of emotion he has on the albums concepts at hand. But it's one line in-particular that's always going to stand out; "There's smoke in my iris/ but I painted a sunny day on the insides of my eyelids". It's an absolutely beautiful piece of imagery, and one that manages to show that it's not all hopelessness. We can wallow in self pity, or we can do everything in our power to make the best out of a bad situation. Positivity again plays a role on the absolutely stellar "No Regrets". The song is nothing short of a storytelling masterpiece, rivaling even the greatness of Slick Rick's vivid tales. In the song Aesop tells the story of a girl named Lucy (Probably not the same Lucy Slug of Atmosphere is so obsessed with, but a fun coincidence all the same) and how she lives her life on her own terms, doing only what she feels passionate about. Without giving too much away I will say that the song is constructed wonderfully, with Aesop painting Lucy's life in such detail you begin to wonder if she might perhaps be a real person, and the ending in true Aesop fashion is abrupt, shocking, funny and sad all at the same time. Being able to invoke all of those emotions at once is a stunning achievement.

Of course we can't very well write a review on Labor Days without mentioning the albums breakout track; "Daylight". The lighthearted, catchy song single handedly exposed Aesop to a group of music fans who otherwise would have never known he existed. The song stands as his most popular track to date, and in fact was so popular that it spawned its own ep (though he has gone on record as saying he hates the song). It's easy to see why people so readily attach to the song. The mellow Blockhead beat is a far cry from the dark material featured elsewhere on the album, and in a somewhat surprising twist for a lyricist as abstract and difficult as Aesop; it features a fairly catchy hook.

With an artist like Aesop you could literally spend years trying to break down, and explain his music. There's just so much substance, yet so much mystery here that trying to put it into words that can be readily understood by anyone is near impossible. He's an artist you really need to experience firsthand. For my money Labor Days is the absolute pinnacle of his career. Everything just came together here. The production provided by Blockhead and Aesop himself is near flawless. The songwriting is both focused, and sprawling, and Aesop himself is in absolute top form as a lyricist. Not everyone is going to love the album of course, and most likely the fault will be placed squarely on Aesop. His unique voice and flow are sure to rub some people the wrong way, and his lyrics often come across like they're being delivered in a different language. But I promise you that given enough time and effort Aesops brilliance will begin to reveal itself.

"I Told this cat the earth was flat/
He walked 'til his beard grew long enough to strangle himself for being stupid" (Flashflood)

Pros
-The production is some of the absolute best the Underground has to offer
-The concepts are well delivered
-Aesop is an absolutely masterful lyricist
-The songwriting is surprisingly strong

Cons
-Accessible is a word that you'll probably never hear when discussing Aesop. The album is dark, dense, and above all difficult.

Overall - 4.5/5

Aesop Rock - Float

http://www.sendspace.com/file/506nan

1. Float

2. Commencement at the Obedience Academy

3. Big Bang

4. Garbage

5. I'll Be OK (featuring Slug)

6. Breakfast With Blockhead

7. Basic Cable

8. Fascination

9. Oxygen

10. Skip Town

11. 6B Panorama

12. Lunch With Blockhead

13. Spare a Match

14. Attention Span (featuring Vast Aire)

15. How To Be a Carpenter

16. Prosperity

17. No Splash"

18. Drawbridge (featuring Doseone)

19. Dinner With Blockhead

20. The Mayor and the Crook

For all intent and purposes this is Aesop Rock's debut album; much in the same way that The Slim Shady LP is widely considered Eminem's debut. True Aesop had dropped Music For Earthworms in 1997, as Eminem had released Infinite in 1996, but these albums were released so low-key and in such limited quantities that the majority of fans never even knew they existed. Music for Earthworms was sold exclusively by Aesop himself through his website (self pressed on cheap cd-r and all) and I doubt that more than a few hundred of those exist, if even that. That's the magic of the internet though. Even if only a few copies of that album physically existed, it was still out there and available in bootleg form on the web. The album and its follow up ep Appleseed generated enough buzz for Aesop that he managed to land himself a deal with underrated Independent label Mush. 

Of course chances are unless you were an absolutely hardcore Hip Hop fan at that time you probably weren't even aware that Mush was a label in 2000, let alone one putting out such quirky and genre defying Hip Hop. As such Aesop's "second debut" album also managed to keep itself safely tucked under the radar. True it did garner him more exposure; a guest verse from Underground hero Slug of Atmosphere fame didn't hurt, but still the album was generally slept on. It served its purpose though because it was this build up that eventually led to Aesop signing with EL-P's legendary DefJux label, and finally finding his way to Indy fame. Looking back at Aesop's early work though and it's fairly obviouse that he was going to find his way to semi-stardom one way or another. He's simply too talented and too unique to have not found himself an audience. Float lays the groundwork for what most people would later discover on Labor Days and is a fairly entertaining album in its own rights.

Production for the album is split between Aesop himself and soon-to-be longtime collaborator Blockhead. Listening to the album you would never guess that the production is handled by more than one person. Aesop and Blockhead are so in sync on this project that their beats are almost indistinguishable. They provide an absolutely beautiful backdrop that could damn near be listened to and enjoyed all on its own. The songs go from absolutely stark and simplistic ("Float") to layered and breathtaking ("Basic Cable") and never sound at odds with each other. I can imagine the very nature of the instruments at use here will rub people the wrong way because admittedly they do sometimes come across as "artsy for artsy" sake, but really this is an artsy album through and through. It is pretentious. It is arrogant, and it does often come across with an air of superiority, but honestly that's part of the charm. The underground scene was so uptight in the early 2000's that you would be hard pressed to find an album that didn't beat you over the head with how "anti-mainstream" it is.

In Aesop's defense though this feel never carries over to his lyrics. He has much too much on his mind to be worried about what's going on outside of his dark, secluded world, and while his lyrics are insanely abstract, his concepts are fairly simple and down to earth. One of the albums highlights for example comes in the form of "6b Panorama". While seemingly as complicated as the rest of the albums dense material; on closer inspection it revels itself to be an enjoyable short story about the things Aesop sees while out on his fire escape.

"(I was sitting on my fire escape and I saw...)

sturdy bridges, decorated with dirty pigeons

a vagabond begging for three pennies and a princess

a junkie tourniquet surgeon urging the needle in

a batty senior citizen flashing that awful teethless grin

I saw a corner store merchant rest on a milk crate with a stog'

a pierced nose, a model with a stalker, cheap hooker, jay walkers

a table on a sidewalk with four old men slappin' dominos down

a city, a village, a neighborhood, a ghost town

I saw vandals catching tags and Puerto Rican flags

I saw a pregnant woman on the verge of bursting (boom)

I saw a blind man with a dog screaming "someday I'll see it all"

and then he sat down with his hammer and saw" - 6b Panorama 

See; That's not so hard to understand now is it? The rest of the album is decidedly more difficult to decipher, but given you take the time to sit down and really digest what's being said then you actually do start to pull the veil back and uncover some of the hidden gems Ace drops. "Basic Cable" is another favorite of mine. The concept finds Aesop critisizing those who waste away in front of the television set. Aesop himself is an admitted TV addict and as such the first person narrative here hits hard. Part ridicule, part self criticism. I also feel it's worth noting that Vast Aire drops one the best verses of his career on "Attention Span", effectively stealing the song away from Aesop with his simple, but effective punchline-driven verse.

The album isn't without flaws though, and the two most glaring work hand in hand to hurt the album in such a way that they knock it down from "Amazing" to simply "Solid". The combined efforts of the bloated 20 track, 70 minute running time, and Aesop's unforgiving and overly abstract style cripple this as a full length release. 20 tracks was hard enough to sit through from less complicated artist (I'm looking at you 90's No Limit Roster), but when you have an artist as complicated and hard to understand as Aesop Rock it becomes an absolute chore to reach the last track. By albums end you feel frazzled. Like you were caught in a tornado of words and tossed around for 70 minutes. Not sure which way is up or what the hell is going on. The album takes some real dedication to dig through, and while there are many gems here worthy of multiple replays, there are just as many tracks that will leave you scratching your head with no idea what the hell Aesop is trying to convey.

That's part of the fun here though. Just because I don't understand a song doesn't mean you won't, and vice-versa. You really do need to sit down with each and every song and see which of them speaks to you as an individual; which is an impressive task in and of itself. At the end of the day though this is music - not homework, and having to dedicate too much time just to know what it is you're listening to just isn't fun. It's like reading a classic book from the 1800's. You know it's a classic, and you know a lot of work and effort was put in it, but it's like the author is speaking a totally different language. Aesop is to be commended on his skills, and the good outweighs the "confusing", but his later releases manage to introduce a more fun and entertaining sound that would counterbalance his wordy rhymes, and that in turn would be the true key to his success. 

Pros

-The production is pretty good. Very jazzy and classy

-Aesop is an excellent story teller

-He drops some fantastic gems in his verses

Cons

-The album sounds slightly pretentious and has an air of arrogance about it 

-Aesop is such a hard mc to wrap your head around. New fans are going to be frazzled and lost

-The running time is flat out stupid. Sitting through 20 tracks becomes tedious

Overall - 3.5/5

Ras Kass - Rasassination

http://www.mediafire.com/?n56rus57lm9t8m8


1. Endtro
2. Rasassination
3. Ghetto Fabulous (feat. Dr. Dre & Mack 10)
4. Lapdance (feat. RC)
5. (Skit #1)
6. Conceited Bastard
7. Ice Age (feat. Kurupt & El-Drex)
8. ...In a Coogi Sweatsuit (skit)
9. H2OProof (feat. Saafir)
10. It Is What It Is (feat. Jazze Pha)
11. Interview With a Vampire (feat. God & Satan)
12. Wild Pitch (feat. Xzibit & Jah Skillz)
13. OohWee!
14. All or Nuthin' (feat. Twista)
15. Grindin' (feat. Bad Azz)
16. I Ain't Fucking With You
17. Get at Me
18. The End (feat. RZA)

Like most everyone else in the hip hop world, I was massively disappointed when Ras Kass dropped this as his follow up to the indisputable classic, 'Soul on Ice'. This album was about as radical a departure as one could imagine, and as such, was universally panned by fans and critics alike. Its polished beats, poppy hooks, and more relaxed take on lyricism alienated Ras's original fan base in such a way that he still, to this day hasnt fully recovered.

You want to know a secret though? This album is actually pretty amazing in retrospect. I mean sure, its no 'SOI', but when not being held up against another body of work, and being taken in strictly for what it is, its actually a very solid record and suitable follow up. Its true the album took a more mainstream approach to the Ras Kass formula, but honestly it really isnt as radical a departure as one would think. I mean isnt it an artist job to continue to experiment and grow musically? Can anyone really blame Ras Kass for doing it big when a little more cash was thrown at him? The answer of course will vary from listener to listener, in my humble opinion though it was the natural evolution of one of the West Coast's finest mc's.

Looking back on the album I can honestly say there really isnt a weak beat amongst the bunch. The Dr Dre and Mack 10 featured 'Ghetto Fabulous' is a banging, ominous piece of production that matches Rassy perfectly. 'Conceited Bastard' sounds like it could have been a SOI outtake, and the title cut 'Rasassination' was so ahead of its time that we wouldnt see mc's and producers catching up to that sound until as late as 2006.

An album isnt solely defined by its production though, and as any Ras fan can tell you, the main draw for his debut classic was his flawless display on the mic. The Ras Kass we find here isnt as technically strong as the one on SOI, but he's still just as gifted. 'Soul On Ice' sounded like a man with the weight of the world on his shoulders, this album though sounds like someone who's happy to be living life and having a good time while doing it. Thats not to say that SOI Ras doesnt show up every now and again, just check the instantly classic cut "Interview With a Vampire ", this is the type of track that most rappers couldnt even begin to think of creating, let alone fully executing it. In fact you would be hard pressed to find a single weak verse form Ras Kass on this album, his performance as a whole stands the test of time and sounds even better today then it did on its release.

The main critisim that was thrown at SOI was that the production was lacking, some even found it outright boring, Ras Kass did everything in his power to fix that on this release and consequently had his fans turn on him for doing so, a real "damned if you do, damned if you dont" situation. But really this has been what Rassy's career has been about all along, from day one its been him against the world. Fuck it though, Ras has created and album with some of the strongest songwriting of his career, lyrically very few mc's can see him on this, and concept wise he's untouchable. I urge everyone who gave this a bad review (and even those who havnt heard it yet) to revisit this album with an open mind, I think you're going to be surprised by just how well this lp as aged.

Pro's
-Very strong production values
-Great songwriting
-Top notch lyricism
-Amazing concepts

Con's
-a potential shock for those coming straight off of 'SOI'
-If you're not a fan of a more polished, mainstream sound, then this may not do much for you

Overall 4/5

David Banner & 9th Wonder - Death Of A Pop Star

http://www.sendspace.com/file/xczm97


1. Diamonds on My Pinky
2. No Denying (Channel 3)
3. Mas 4
4. The Light
5. Slow Down (feat. Heather Victoria)
6. Be With You (feat. Ludacris & Marsha Ambrosius)
7. Stutter (feat. Anthony Hamilton)
8. Silly (feat. Erykah Badu)
9. Something Is Wrong (feat. Lisa Ivey)
10. Strange (feat. Big Remo)

David Banner has cemented his reputation as one of the most thought provoking, yet club ready mc's to ever emerge from the dirty south. Need proof? look no further then his debut lp "Mississippi". The albums two biggest singles rested on opposite ends of the hip hop spectrum. "Like a Pimp" knocked so hard it blew more then its fair share of speakers; while "Cadillacs on 22's" was a soulful; thought provoking ode to everything wrong in the south, and how with enough perseverance we can overcome just about anything. The biggest complaint I've ever had with Banner though is that he never seemed to properly fuse these two sounds together in to one cohesive record. His songs were very much a "one or the other" type of affair. I'm very happy to report that with this 9th Wonder assisted lp though, he seems to have finally found that perfect balance and fully matured as an artist.

One line in particular sums up David Banner perfectly. It's found at the very end of 'Diamonds on my Pinky; the albums opening cut. Over a brilliant 9th Wonder beat, Banner closes the song with:

"But im from Mississippi where you let your nuts hang/
and where the white folks let my ancestors do the same"

My jaw literally dropped when I first heard this. Never has a single rhyme so perfectly reflected what an artist is truly about. If someone were to ask me to describe David Banner then this is the first thing coming out of my mouth. The line has a bit of everything that banner is about. It has his nut grabbing bravado, his socially conscious mind frame, and his no nonsense; almost militant bluntness. This is the David Banner that is presented throughout the whole lp, he's sure to offend more then a few people, but for those willing to listen with an open mind its nothing short of an absolutely fascinating look in to one of hip hop's most interesting minds. Lyrically David's style never falters; this is going to be the album that proves his worth to all of his critics. In a single verse he covers more topics then most mc's do on their whole albums. He effortlessly bounces from in-depth, thought provoking lyricism, to all out shit talking and never once misses a beat.

....Ok well that's no entirely true. If Banner does have one fault on this album its in his flow. Ive always thought Banner had a superb flow in the past, but here it sometimes comes across and sloppy and rushed. I think I may have an explanation for this though. I've read interviews with long time 9th Wonder collaborator Murs in the past; he was the first to point out that that when recording with 9th Wonder you only get one take to record your lyrics. 9th believes that the more takes you do, the less fresh and live the verse will sound. Therefore even if the mc flubs, the verse is kept. Is this what happened here? I cant say for sure, but at times it does indeed sound like that may be the case.

Speaking of 9th, his production here is some of the best he's ever churned out. His signature soul sampling is still intact, but he finds new and interesting ways to customize his beats to better suite his Mississippi partner. These don't sound like beats that 9th just gave to Banner; rather something he crafted with David in mind. The end result is a very natural sound that showcases both artist raw talents. Really the only other negative that can be leveled at the album is the running time. Originally intended to be a mixtape this lp runs incredibly short at times. Some of the best tracks clock in at just over 2 minutes, and the album as a whole only runs about 30 minutes. Though it should be noted that I copped the Best Buy version which features an extra 3 track that extend the album by about 10 minutes.

As a whole the album is superb. Though I feel that with a little more work it could have been better. Had some extra time been taken to really polish the release it might have been an instant classic. As it stands though its a very short, very sweet ride that shows an incredible amount of potential for the future of these two. Fingers crossed that we get a more fleshed out follow up.

Pro's
-Flawless production
-Fantastic lyrics
-.....moves at a brisk pace?

Con's
-Sounds somewhat sloppy at times

-.....moves at a brisk pace?

Overall 4/5

KRS-ONE - Adventures In Emceein

http://www.sendspace.com/file/ulsvnf


1. Today's Topics
2. Our Soldiers
3. Money
4. We Dem Teachas
5. Better & Better
6. The Way It's Goin' Down
7. The Teacha Returns
8. The Real Hiphop
9. Watch This!
10. What's Your Plan?
11. All Right
12. Don't Get So High [Dancehall Mix]
13. I Got You
14. All My Love
15. Over 30 [Remix]
16. Getaway
17. Don't Give It Up
18. Gro---oh! (Hiphop Nation)
19. It's All Love
20. Wachanoabout


Albums like this frustrate me. KRS ONE has turned in what easily could have been his strongest album (or compilation since this is more of a collection of songs recorded between '04 and '07) since "I Got Next", but sadly it's crippled by being too bloated, and too unfocused. Patience is key though, and given you have enough patience to dig through this monstrous 21 track LP, then longtime fans and newcomers alike will find a very rewarding, very well crafted album from one of hip hop's greats.

The album starts off with a quick intro from Rakim; which is followed by what is essentially another skit/spoken word piece by Chuck D (Though Kris does end the track by spitting a few bars, it's hardly enough to be considered anything more then a glorified skit). The album gets its proper start with "Our Soldiers", the track finds KRS spewing venom over ominous sirens

What about the promises that were made?/
No one in America feels any safer, in fact we feel betrayed/
Over 200 family's played/
With an American flag and a letter that says your child got sprayed

"Money" is a nice surprise for longtime fans as it finds Kris briefly returning to his "I Got Next" flow while MC Lyte handles the hook with a spoken word flair (gotta appreciate the irony of this...KRS has Rakim, Chuck D, Lyte AND Nas on this album, and all any of them do is speak). "Better and Better" is one of the albums best offerings in my opinion.  The beat has a very dark; almost "Kill A Rapper" vibe to it, and KRS controls the production masterfully with his polished flow and lyrics. Sadly a throw-away verse from Pee-Doe will no doubt keep this one from showing up on any future "best of" compilations.

In fact it's worth mentioning that every guest rap here is pretty much throw-away. I hate to discredit the mc's, but honestly none of these guys are fit to be rapping alongside the Blastmaster; this is especially true considering how on point Kris is for most of the lp. It's the little things like this that begin to add up and derail the lp. For example did we really need an remix to "Over 30"? Especially one that's wildly inferior to the original? Or how about the albums closer "Wachanoabout"; which is easily one of the worst songs KRS has ever had his name attached to. The track is a heavy metal/hip hop mash up that sounds more Necro then the T'Cha, and though Kris does an admiral job in riding this musical abortion it still has no place on this album, or any other for that matter.

There's also some more minor head scratching moments. Like the inclusion of two tracks both built around vocal samples of the word "Love". The album probably could have really done without "All My Love". The beat sounds almost like a cheap Cam'Ron throw away, and KRS doesn't really say anything of any real substance here. On the flip side though "It's All Love" would have been the perfect way to end the lp. The beat is piano driven, and when the hook drops you would swear the instrumental was something MF DOOM had cooked up.

Two more standouts I would feel bad without mentioning.  "I Got You" finds KRS at his absolute best over a minimalist beat that sounds vaguely like something Marley Marl would have produced. Later in the album "Gro---Oh!" comes storming in with thundering drums and claps that mesh perfectly with Kris's flow. If KRS and Madlib were to ever make a song I would imagine it would turn out like that. 

At the end of the day it's really up to you to make the best out of what's given to you. Not the highest praise ever given I know, but it really is worth it to take the time to listen to this lp in full and trim the fat for yourself. As it stands though, this is still one of KRS One's strongest albums and one that shouldn't be missed by any fan. The production is mostly on point, and aside from the disappointing guest spots the lyrics and flows are some of the best Kris has offered up in years. I truly wish KRS would have taken the time to cut the filler, but really you cant blame the man for wanting to give the fans their money's worth.

Pro's
-Surprisingly strong production that recalls the works of other great producers
-KRS is lyrically stronger here then he has been in years
-Unlike his other albums around this time (and after) Kris uses a wide variety of flows
-As always the T'Cha offers up a lot of positive and insightful lyrics

Con's
-Very weak guest verses
-Wasted (and misleading) features from Nas, Rakim, Chuck D and MC Lyte
-A handful of weaker songs kills the momentum of the album
-Way too bloated for its own good
-Some are bound to find Kris preachy


Overall - 3/5

Busta Rhymes - E.L.E. (Extinction Level Event): The Final World Front

http://www.sendspace.com/file/p0n5nt


1. There's Only One Year Left!!! (Intro)
2. Everybody Rise
3. Where We Are About to Take It
4. Level Event (The Song of Salvation)
5. Tear da Roof Off
6. Against All Odds (feat.Flipmode)
7. Just Give It to Me Raw
8. Do It to Death
9. Keepin' It Tight
10. Gimme Some More
11. Iz They Wildin' Wit Us & Gettin' Rowdy Wit Us? (feat. Mystikal)
12. Party Is Goin' on Over Here
13. Do the Bus a Bus
14. Take It Off
15. What's It Gonna Be (feat.Janet Jackosn)
16. Hot Shit Makin' Ya Bounce
17. What the Fuck You Want!!
18. This Means War!! (feat.Ozzy Osbourne)
19. The Burial Song (Outro)

This album could have easily been a 5 star masterpiece had Busta shown a bit of restraint. Like most of his 90's work though this is simply too bloated for its own good. Bloated or not though this still stands as one of busta greatest achievements. You would think that at 19 tracks the album would be riddled with filler, but in truth its not. There are 2 skits that get their own track; plus a few more that are tacked on to the end of a few songs. Which is a shame because had the skits alone been trimmed it could have saved this album from dragging on too long. None of them are worth keeping, and the only real purpose they serve is to pad the running time.

As far as the music is concerned though? utterly amazing. The only bad track worth noting is song 5; "Tear da Roof Off". The song suffers from a flat out terrible beat courtesy of Swizz Beatz; this coupled with an annoying hook and awkward flow make the song a complete disaster. "Do the Bus a Bus" could have been done without as well (even if Busta's second verse is jaw dropping). Other then that though the album is near perfect. The production is masterful. "Where We Are About to Take It", "Everybody Rise", and "Gimme Some More" stand out as some of the greatest beats of the 90's. The rest of the production isnt far behind these classics and give the album a very diverse and live feel to it.

Busta turns in an equally strong performance. His flow is as off the wall crazy as ever, and his lyrics are tongue twistingly fantastic. Not so surprisingly the features are equally as good. Busta and Mystikal feed off of each others energy and turn in performances that would make MOP sound subdued. While later in the album Janet Jackson and Ozzy Osbourne don't sound nearly as out of place as one might imagine. The running times for these tracks also help keep the album moving forward. Some tracks clock in at 5 minutes or more; while others are just a shade over 2. It helps create a diversity that keeps the album's sound from getting redundant. 

Overall - I honestly think this is a fantastic starting point for people looking to get in to Busta Rhymes. The album straddles the line between mainstream and underground fantastically. The raw production mixed with Busta's poppy hooks and flawless flow create a truly one of a kind sound. My advice? take the album; chop the skits and track 5, and enjoy this for the classic that it could have been.

Pro's 
-Amazing Production
-Strong Songwriting
-Strong performance from Busta
-The at first odd Guest list turn out to be awesome.

Con's
-Track 5 is flat out terrible
-Too many skits tacked on kill the flow

Overall 4.5/5