X-Pressions by the X-ecutioners
Asphodel/Audio Soul
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X-pressions is an album that showcases the scratch
talents
of the X-ecutioners. The X-ecutioners are arguably the best
scratch crew from the east coast. X-pressions, released
in 1997, is the crews first attempt at a full-length battle
scratch album. The X-ecutioners, formerly known as the
"X-men", are: Mista Sinista, Rob Swift, Roc Raida, and Total
Eclipse. The album is a refreshing collection of battle scratches and raps that is uncommon among scratch crew albums. The Cipher is a great example of the style of raps found on the album. The vocals are free, lyrical, and straight off of the street. The scratching is amazing; Mista Sinista puts on an amazing show. Another great solo scratch performance is delivered by Roc Raida in One Man Band. Roc Raida demonstrates some of the scratches that have become integral parts of the modern dj's repertoire. Besides the amazing solo efforts, the crew also lays down some tracks as a team. The Countdown and Mad Flava are great examples of the crew's coordination and teamwork between the wheels of steel. One of my favorite tracks on the album features a rap by a female vocalist, Halex the Armegeddon. Halex takes hip-hop as her topic and weaves a choice web of rhymes describing her dj's and their contribution the music. The X-ecutioners have put together a respectable full-length album with X-pressions. Many of the scratches sound standard and bland at times when compared to todays scratching. However, the X-ecutioners have a smooth style and almost danceable sense of beat that other dj crews lack. The album is a must-have for any scratch enthusiast and for the underground hip-hop lover, the raps on the album are priceless. |
Both Sides of the Brain by Del the Funkee Homosapien
Hiero Imperium
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Del's Long awaited album delivers the lyrical genius
that we have come to expect with his previous albums.
Del's last solo album, Future Development, released
in 1998 on cassette only
when Interscope withdrew funding, was arguably his best
album. Future Development gave Del the chance to
engineer an album that was closer to the real Del than
his earlier two albums (I Wish My Brother George Was
Here and No Need For Alarm) which were
heavily influenced by his record labels and executive
producers. With Both Sides of the Brain, Del releases an album that is just as he would have it be. Del produced most of the songs on the album with a few guest producers, like Prince Paul, El-P, and Khaos Unique, on a few tracks. Del's beats are one of the best parts of this album. Many of Del's beats contain samples from video games, one of Del's first loves. The first two tracks on the album are riddled with the samples. Both Sides of the Brain sort of reminds me of Ice Cube's Death Certificate where the songs are divided into the "death side" and the "life side" depending on the song's topic. Del's songs on Both Sides.. can generally be divided into two topics. One groupe of songs deals with issues like drunk driving, style byting, and weak rappers. The other group of songs is lighter, dealing with topics like poor hygiene, video games, and comic book superheros. My favorite songs on the album are "Phoney Phranchise", which deals with the record industry and "Proto Culture", about video games and their culture. Del is a lyrical genius. Each track on the album is packed with creative lyrics that make a point; be it serious or whimsical. In a world of popular rap music where Rough RydaZ and Gangsta rappaZ are hailed as the prophets of our time, Del's album is a breath of fresh air showing that intelligent rap and innovative beats are not dead. Both Sides of the Brain delivers high quality tracks that one would expect from Del and the Hieroglyphics crew. |
Himalayan Project by the Himalayan Project
No Label
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Unlike the other albums reviewed on this page, the Himalayan
Project is relatively unknown in the underground rap world.
The Himalayan Project hails from San Francisco. The Project
consists of Chee Malibar and Ray Lie. Ray lives in San Fran
while Chee is studying and working in Pennsylvania. From
the last contact I had with the Himalayan Project, Chee was
going to be back in San Francisco over the summer of 2000
to cut some new tracks. I found these guys on a site that had a bunch of singles from various underground hip-hoppers. I later found them on mp3.com. I e-mailed Ray and bought a copy of thier cd from him. Ray is super cool and hooked me up with a custom burnt copy of the album. The album is a 12 track number with one hidden track at the end of the album. The album is pretty short but all of the tracks have touches of hip-hop genius that make the album a joy to listen to. What sets the Himalayan Project apart from other upstart underground artists? I am mostly impressed with thier feel for good rhymes and smooth lyrical composition. All of their songs flow so smoothly that it gives one the impression that they have just been lucky enough to overhear a sweet freestyle session. Despite their fabulous lyrics, some of the beats lack creativity and diversity. This is not true of all of their songs though; PST is an amazing combination of innovative beat and great vocals. One of my favorite tracks on the album is Rainman. This song is a short solo featuring Ray a.k.a "Rainman". Rainman is filled with amazing rhymes and lacks only in length. The same goes for the entire album. Invariably, when I get to the end of the Himalayan Project I am thirsting for more. Keep your eyes peeled for more good tracks to come out of these guys. website: Himalayan Project |
Quality Control by the Jurassic 5
Rawkus/Interscope(2000)
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"We are no super stars Who wanna live large and forget who we are Don't judge us by bank accounts and big cars No matter how high we fly we're far from being stars" The Jurassic 5 have been making quality hip-hip from the get-go. I heard the J5 first in the old "Hip-Hop Shop" in Sugar House, Utah. They were playing Jayou. I was immediately won over by Chali2Na's vocals. Quality Control is an extension of that raw L.A. sound. The deejay work of Cut Chemist and Nu-Mark is featured prominently in Quality Control. One of the more unique songs, 'swing set' is an amazing compilation of rippin' swing beats; when spun at a party, it is guaranteed to get the crowd moving. Some amazing work going on behind the wheels of steel. A great album. It is the kind of album that makes you want to go out and make some music of your own. Everything is simple and well done. In todays world of dirty south noize-powered beats, the cuts of Quality Control are a trustworthy voice for the underground. |