Review of Hip Hop Lives (KRS/Marley)
amiga...@yahoo.com
release ever since it was first talked about over a year ago. It's
finally here on Tuesday and definitely worth the wait. Here's a track
by track review.
It's Alive (Intro) - Here Marley does one of his high pitched skits
(think the intros to the Symphony) where people have congregated at
the funeral of hip hop. Then all of a sudden someone yells that it
(hip hop) is alive, they see it coming over the mountain, that sets
up..
Hip Hop Lives - The first single which you've probably heard that is
accompanied by one of the best videos in a long time. If you haven't
seen it I urge you to go to Youtube and check it out.
Nothing New - One of my favourite tracks on the album. KRS relies
heavily on his reggae influenced flow here, something I think he
should utilize more often. It's about the lack of fresh content in
hip hop these days. Some choice lines "you critics want to sit down
and debate every line, but tryin to get into my concerts same time",
"like the coke want Whitney, you still want to get me, but no, you
ain't made for this, I put my hand through your chest like Agent
Smith", "I'll take away your rights like the Patriot Act, have your
whole crew thinking, 'well maybe he is kinda wack" He then kills it
with his finishing line "they call me Blastmasta because I be blastin,
have your ass lookin like Jesus in the Passion" The whole song he's
got a ferocious flow, giving it his all, great track.
I Was There - Unfortunately this track may be skippable after a few
listens because Kris decides not to really rap, but just sort of talk.
It's a track stating that hip hop historians who write from afar are
kind of useless because pioneers like KRS were there when everything
started. "When Hot 97 started I was there, when Rap City got started
I was there...you ain't telling me the history, because I was there,
where were you?" Interesting concept but would have worked a lot
better as an actual song. Nice beat embellishments at the end though.
Musika - This uses the exact same beat as the Marley remix to Nas'
"Bridging the Gap" (I'm pretty sure I've got that right). Nice beat
but it's a little weird that it's recycled especially since it's kind
of a recycling of Funky Child in the first place. For the first verse
Kris comes up with flow #6934, kind of going Spanglish. Some nice
lines "without the flashiness, my jewels is the gift that I apply, so
why ask why, these Kentucky Fried Chicken DJ's promotin' breasts and
thighs". Special guest Magic Juan drops a pretty good verse. I like
this from him "this ain't the top 8 at 8, it's hip hop 88, when it
wasn't all about guap and a baby face".
Rising to the Top - This one chronicles the BDP vs Juice Crew beef
with a nice Egyptian style beat. Starts off with what sounds like a
real excerpt from The Mr. Magic show which is kind of cool. Great
track, kind of reminds me of Outta Here because of the history lesson.
Love how it ends "These are the days and the ways I can never forget,
so I don't forget it, to Marley and Shan I am indebted, for the start
of my career these guys can take credit, for my rappin, the whole
battle, they let it happen, Marley and Shan and Shante coulda been gun
strappin cousin, but they wasn't, [Marley] you know why, because we
were on some real hip hop, let's keep it buzzin" Classic track.
Over 30 - I think this is the first hip hop song I can think of that
shouts out people over 40. Seeing as how legends like KRS and Jazzy
Jeff and Chuck D are over 40 and some of the early pioneers are in
there 50's it just makes sense. Chorus "where my people that's over
20 now, where my people that's over 30 now, where my people that's
over 40 now, classic, that's what they call us now" A few dark piano
chords set off this track, not my favourite but a good song. My
choice line "We was down for the Rage and we was against the Machine,
now we turn the page and WE the mainstream" That sums it up!
M.A.R.L.E.Y. - A short skit with Marley Marl interviewing his historic
rival DJ Red Alert.
Kill A Rapper - "You want to get away with murder, kill a rapper"
About all the unresolved murders in hip hop. This was also one of the
early singles so you may have heard it already.
The Teacha's Back - Definitely my favourite track on the album, the
beat knocks and KRS rips it. If you only check out one track I think
this should be it. Marley's on fire, I love the hollowed out steel
drum effects. Head nodding boom bap music at it's finest, I would
love to see this performed live. "The Teacha's back, the heat is
back, had to chill for a minute so you could see who was wack!" To
all the haters, "you callin' me contradictory, yet I'm the most
consistent MC in rap's history" Take that. Another example of
classic wordplay: "I'm taking a stand, not taking THE stand, I don't
disrespect women because I am a man, and some say THE man"
The Victory - In keeping with the theme of long time rivals coming
together here you've got Blaq Poet on the track who once battled KRS
back in the day. Premo laces the cuts and Marley does a Primo-esque
beat in his honor. Return of the Boom Bap no doubt.
This Is What It Is - A celebratory kind of beat after The Victory I
guess. "You done heard them thugs, now it's time to hear from the
philosophers, buildings fallin, employment stallin us', now it's time
the future is callin us, television is boring us, radio is whorin us"
Laying out how real hip hop is the solution.
All Skool - This beat reminds me a little of Duck Down, rough yet
smooth. Chorus "I'm not old school or new school, I'm all school" I
read that this is Marley's favourite record. "I'm known for my scary
views, that's why I'm called a terrorist by the Daily News, I rarely
lose, I'm known to rattle a cage, I'm known to throw rappers off the
stage, maybe it's a matter of age, but as an MC I got no patience for
some rappers these days" Let's the beat ride for a long time at the
end which is nice.
House of Hits - An homage to Marley's famous studio that produced hits
for almost any rapper you can name. Busy Bee is featured and his deep
voice sounds really good on the chorus. This to me has that really
fun kind of early 90's vibe to it. "These unoriginal rap flows I
don't speak those, too many rappers just copy like Kinko's, dressing
like they from Office Depot, tryin to be CEO's of wack weak flows"
People would dance to this if anyone had the guts to play it at a
party.
So there you have it, I'm impressed. As a friendly response to Nas,
KRS proves that Hip Hop Lives, at least in the underground where all
the magic has always happened. Twenty years in the making and well
worth it, I can't get enough of KRS but for those who complained about
his beats over the years now may be a good time to revisit his always
fresh lyrics and flows over these hardcore Marley bangers. I'm
definitely at the store on Tuesday.
Patrick
boumtje
i'll be purchasing this for sure
A to the L
>I'm one of the Teacha's biggest fans and have been anticipating this
>release ever since it was first talked about over a year ago. It's
>finally here on Tuesday and definitely worth the wait. Here's a track
>by track review.
I'll check for this, purely on the strength of your review, but if its
as disappointing as KRS-One's last few albums I will pull off his nose
and beat you with it.
A to the L
"Nas can rhyme about shittin on the floor and mopping it up with kelis's hair
and it'll be sick if he rocks that scheme for at least 8 bars" - TJ Xenos
"there is no scientific term for the back of the knee."
"if someone made a pie with lil jon's face baked on it that would be amazing"
"A 1 A - BEACHFRONT AVENUE!!!"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contradictory Hiphop truth with a bitter and twisted attitude
http://www.altrap.com
TJ Xenos
> On Sat, 19 May 2007 19:09:15 -0400, amigama...@yahoo.com wrote:
> >I'm one of the Teacha's biggest fans and have been anticipating this
> >release ever since it was first talked about over a year ago. It's
> >finally here on Tuesday and definitely worth the wait. Here's a track
> >by track review.
>
> I'll check for this, purely on the strength of your review, but if its
> as disappointing as KRS-One's last few albums I will pull off his nose
> and beat you with it.
Based on this review, I have a feeling this will be my periodic "pick
it up to make sure krs still sucks" album, as Ive done every few years
for the past decade or so ;) I'm amped for the beats, but Matrix and
Passion of the Christ punchlines? Bud Light catchphrases posing as
rhymes? I seriously rofl'd at the "most consistent emcee in history"
line. I had to go get a lint brush afterwards I got so many carpet
fuzzies on my back.
quest19...@webtv.net
so-called "Hip Hop" ain't. The nerve of MANY idiots calling Lil Wayne
hot while you have, arguably, one of the best ever dropping albums
consistently for the last 20 years. With that out of the way, this
project just shows you clearly what people with skill do when they put
they're heads together. I really feel for the young people today, is it
condescension---yes, because they just don't know Hip Hop. They think
this bullsh*t that's out now is that, poor children. This was a good
review, but it's KRS-One and he's just too good to say that he'd bring
something wack to the table. Like he said at the end of that video,
"damn, 20 years...". I've been following him for that long and with the
exception of a few current acts, most aren't a scintilla as good as "The
Teacha".
ILL
That songs sucks. Krs is boring and wack. He made South Bronx?
ILL
quest19...@webtv.net
<<That songs sucks. Krs is boring and wack. He made South Bronx?>>
You're out of your mind. "KRS-One" and "wack" in the same sentence is
oxymoronic. Yes, he and Scott La Rock made the song "South Bronx".
Wasteland Drifter
>
> So there you have it, I'm impressed. As a friendly response to Nas,
> KRS proves that Hip Hop Lives, at least in the underground where all
> the magic has always happened. Twenty years in the making and well
> worth it, I can't get enough of KRS but for those who complained about
> his beats over the years now may be a good time to revisit his always
> fresh lyrics and flows over these hardcore Marley bangers. I'm
> definitely at the store on Tuesday.
>
> Patrick
I've been listening to this for the past few days and it is good, my
only criticisms are...
1) Subject matter. Fair enough, Kris has a point but to devote an
entire album basically to one subject is a bit much (especially
considering he's gone over the subject many times before.) If there
was one track NOT about Hip Hop it would have been an improvement.
2) The beats aren't as dope as I was expecting. They are solid but I
was expecting something special y'know?
Wasteland Drifter
> KRS proves that Hip Hop Lives, at least in the underground where all
> the magic has always happened. Twenty years in the making and well
> worth it, I can't get enough of KRS but for those who complained about
> his beats over the years now may be a good time to revisit his always
> fresh lyrics and flows over these hardcore Marley bangers. I'm
> definitely at the store on Tuesday.
>
> Patrick
I've been listening to this for the past few days and it is good, my
A to the L
>one of the best ever dropping albums
>consistently for the last 20 years.
even if he dropped an album every DAY, it wouldn't matter if they were
all as boring as his last few...
ILL
I know, I know: Quest don't do irony (or rhetorical questions), my bad.
I'll try to keep it literal from now on. But personally i think it makes
the communication kind of dry, don't you? (no answer required).
ILL
ILL
> On May 20, 12:09 am, amigama...@yahoo.com wrote:
>> So there you have it, I'm impressed. As a friendly response to Nas,
>> KRS proves that Hip Hop Lives, at least in the underground where all
>> the magic has always happened. Twenty years in the making and well
>> worth it, I can't get enough of KRS but for those who complained about
>> his beats over the years now may be a good time to revisit his always
>> fresh lyrics and flows over these hardcore Marley bangers. I'm
>> definitely at the store on Tuesday.
>>
>> Patrick
>
> I've been listening to this for the past few days and it is good, my
> only criticisms are...
>
> 1) Subject matter. Fair enough, Kris has a point but to devote an
> entire album basically to one subject is a bit much (especially
> considering he's gone over the subject many times before.) If there
> was one track NOT about Hip Hop it would have been an improvement.
Hip-Hop Lives is the same sentiment/song as Hip-Hop Is Dead (or Where
Are They Now rather, as I don't know what Nas is babblin' about on HH is
Dead).
Then he goes on about the "culture" of hip-hop and all that jazz.
Patrick did a good job of reviewing it so it sounded interesting, so I
checked out the song and I couldn't get through it.
Now you say the whole lp's like that, ugh.
ILL
boumtje
you didn't like hip hop lives (the single)?
quest19...@webtv.net
<<I'll try to keep it literal from now on. But personally i think it
makes the communication kind of dry, don't you? (no answer required).>>
No answer required?! You mean, I can't do a retort?! Everyone's so mean
in these post-Imus days.
quest19...@webtv.net
<<even if he dropped an album every DAY, it wouldn't matter if they were
all as boring as his last few.>>
"Life" and "Keep Right", I dug. But that's me and besides, recently, NO
ONE ELSE(aside from Technique, Sabac Red, and Akrobatik), in my
estimation dropped anything but the status quo raps of guns, bling,
flippin' birds, and more stupidity. So when KRS-One does drop one, I
tend to cop. "The Kristyle" and "The Sneak Attack" were so-so, but even
they had good content on them.
mattmatical
>Hip-Hop Lives is the same sentiment/song as Hip-Hop Is Dead (or Where
>Are They Now rather, as I don't know what Nas is babblin' about on HH is
>Dead).
Yeah, but given the option, I'd rather listen to Kris
talking about hip-hop lives than Nas about its demise.
Matt
amiga...@yahoo.com
out some of these clips from KRS' show in NYC the other night with
Marley / Red Alert / Fat Joe / Caz / Premier / Craig G / Busy B /
Joell Ortiz / Ice T / Mister Cee / Channel Live / Blaq Poet /
Ultramagnetic etc on all one stage. Unbelievable.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yp6wRuMvpcU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbo_mt4gVa8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySU265lxgl0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJc7_XuvhlQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lI8LtbuY484
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JCFUA-N2ps
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NZKKCJ-6FE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNaeLhonOHQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezhe77G6EiM
Patrick