|
Soundbombing 2 Here's my review of Soundbombing 2 on Rawkus Records. For those totally in the dark, Rawkus Records is an independant label out of NYC that has been giving underground artists to record and promote their material all over the country. Their first full-length release was Soundbombing, a mixtape/CD of all the singles released off the label, mixed by DJ Evil Dee of Black Moon fame. It was dope, but the mixing was weak and Evil Dee kept yelling and screaming all over the place and took away from it's quality. Now for the long awaited follow up:
Peep the tracklisting. There are 27 tracks, but a lot of interludes which are intros and blends from one song to the next, all done incredibly well by The Beat Junkies. Here are the actual songs:
After an ill intro scratch, Eminem kicks the disc off with his typical sick sense of humor and multi-syllable rhyming. Eminem sounds much doper over a dirty NYC-type beat though, and I really would like to see him work with different producers than the Aftermath crew. Most of his rhymes in here have been all over his "freestyles" in the last year or so, and this whole track was on a mixtape I heard a few months back, the song was just titled "Fucking Crazy." If you like Em, you'll feel this, but Em won't gain any new fans from this. Next we move into the most old school joint of the year aside from "Double Trouble" off The Roots CD, "B-Boy Document 99". The beat sounds somewhat like a Timbaland beat, but it works. Mos Def freaks the first verse and the hook, while Mad Skillz and The High and Mighty "leave your head wrapped like Erykah Badu" It's an old school party type vibe, and I'm digging it. Pharoahe Monch of Organized Konfusion and Shabaam Sahdeeq step up next with "WWII" The beat is off the hook, and both rappers represent nicely. So far, so great. R.A. the Rugged Man steps up with the discs first and only flaw. "Stanley Kubrick" has a wack beat, actually sounds like a Trackmasters beat, and he spits total nonsense throughout. Don't ask me why this is on here instead of other Rawkus classics that have recently dropped. After a message from J-Live and Prince Paul, Mos Def and his group Medina Green rock the spot with last years underground smash "Crosstown Beef" This song is too dope for words. "7XL" is next from Sir Menelik, aka Scaramanga, and Brand Nubian minus Lord Jamar. The song is decent, but I was expecting so much more. I love these 3 rappers, but the beat is very boring. Reflection Eternal (Talib Kweli and DJ Hi-Tek) and Bahamadia drop "Chaos" after that, another dope cut. 2 underrated rappers flow over a smooth beat with a dope sound effect in the background. Xzibit does a short intro for Dilated Peoples and Tash of The Alkaholiks, who drop the title track. This beat is ill. Mad scratching and guitar licks to top it off. Then the disc blends lovely into "Brooklyn Hardrock" from Thirstin Howl III. The song is dope, but IT GETS CUT OFF AFTER THE FIRST VERSE!!!! I hate when mixtape DJ's do that. THIII has an ill voice and rips the mic, and then an unidentified female singer with a British accent drops a hook when it then blends into the next cut. Pharoahe Monch returns to drop "Mayor" which is a song about taking yourself out and everyone around you. "Fuck it if I'm gonna die at least I shot the mayor" The beat is average at best which takes away from this cut. Company Flow's El-P steals the show now. "Patriotism" is the angry white MC's view of America. This is one pissed off motherfucker. His sarcasm is funny at points, but this dude isn't laughing as he speaks on the land of injustice. The hook is him chanting "I'm America" and the scratching of "Goddamn" The gem of the disc. Too sick. "I'm America, this is where the pain grows like poppy's/And the field of dreams I'll pay for I'll burn it down if operated sloppily" "My favorite flavor of gas is mustard/I'm fucking a blonde hermaphrodite icon and convincing you that it's justice" The Beat Junkies blend this perfectly into the hit "1-9-9-9" from Common and Brand Nubian's Sadat X. The beat is dope, and my favorite rapper rips shit. This video has been on Rap City lately, you may have seen it. Diamond D, the best producer on the mic, returns to the scene after a looong absence. His track is dope with an ill piano loop. He hasn't lost his flow or production skills. Mos Def does a follow up of "Universal Magnetic" off Soundbombing 1, with "Next Universe" Another dope track from the man who put Rawkus on the map. "Every Rhyme I Write" is next, and it's nothing special. The beat is average, and none of the rappers say anything special. Talib Kweli and DJ Hi-Tek finish off the disc with "On Mission" which is very tight. Talib rips shit, "the dawn of the MC who thinks before he spits," and Hi-Tek is nice as always behind the boards. Overall, this is a very good CD. The 2nd best of 99 upon it's May release. I'd give it 4 out of 5 stars. | |