House, R&B, Soul & Rap > Underground/Alt Rap House, R&B, Soul & Rap

When's The Last Time You Heard A Funky Diabetic?

Advantages: Bangers throughout
Disadvantages: Nothing specific

Q-Tip, Phife Dawg, Mr. Muhammad and Jarobi White came together again in 1993 as A Tribe Called Quest to bring their third album “Midnight Marauders”. The new Yorkers come with even more of their alternative, Jazz-infleunced material that was seen to rival the Hip Hop of the West Coast which was predominantly Gangsta rap material (and was spreading back towards the East). 1. “Midnight Marauders Tour Guide” (Intro) 2. “Steve Biko” They get into things ...
...into with a tune that has them getting right down into the funky material that you simply wouldn’t be able to resist once you have engaged with it and you hear that none of them have lost another of the quality tha had come with their first two albums with Q-Tip (especially) taking things to another level that it hadn’t seen until this point. **Five Stars** 3. “Award Tour” Here you see that they get into a massive single from the album and one that ...

XICripZ 21.10.2009 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Midnight Marauders - A Tribe Called Quest

All Back To '87

Advantages: Back to their early style; clever rapping; 15 tracks in 40 minutes
Disadvantages: Couple of stinkers

...by a white act: Licensed To Ill. It's mixture of big beats, rock samples and very clever lyrical interplay between the three band members (MCA, Mike D and Ad-Rock) ensured a winning, unique combination that would sell millions of records worldwide. The singles, released in 1987, from that album (Fight For Your Right To Party, No Sleep Til Brooklyn and She's Crafty) were catchy, heavy on the wit and guitar and made stealing VW badges from suburban ...
...a stolen election and 9/11 to do it but the Beastie Boys seem to have recaptured that old spirit on this new album - released last autumn, my favourite season - and it's to their credit that three men approaching 40 years old can still look and sound so fresh. To The 5 Boroughs features all the old trademarks of 1980s hip hop. There's scratching, crazy but soulful samples and the typical Beasties vocal interplay. First track and single, Ch Check ...

waynehorrigan 23.02.2005 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of To The 5 Boroughs [PA] - Beastie Boys

They Be To Rap What Key Be To Lock

Advantages: Lots of bangers
Disadvantages: Nothing specific

The New York-based Jazz Rap act Digable Planets were seen to make their breakthrough in 1993 as they came at a time when the freshness of Jazz Rap had lost this quality and Gangsta Rap had taken over the airwaves, and so with “Reachin’” the alternative group (who consisted of artists who go by the names of Ladybug Mecca, Doodlebug, Butterfly and backing from Silkworm) came with the sort of things which was popularised by De La Soul, A Tribe Called ...
...together despite being raised all over the country with a Washington State, D.C., Philly being the homelands of the individuals. 1. “It’s Good To Be Here” Getting the album underway in a manner which seems fitting, as they come out with something jazzy to liven up listeners as the MCs get down to things and come with their unique delivery manner which appears to reflect what others before them had done in their time. It is a fresh joint and gets ...

XICripZ 28.09.2009 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Reachin' (A New Refutation Of Time And Space) - Digable Planets

Nice friendly up-lifting hip-hop

Advantages: Probably the best album, along with the brand new "power in numbers"
Disadvantages: There are no real disadvantages to this album all the music is light hearted and easy listening

The album quality control really is a top notch album, with tracks like concrete schoolyard, jurass finish first and quality control itself, if you've ever been to see jurassic 5 then they are just the same live as they are on the CD. The rapping in it is just a bit different to most hip-hop that is coming out these days, instead of it being quite dark and political, jurassic 5 just seem to have this buzz about them they sound good, and the relationship ...

JungleVIP 14.12.2004 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful
Review of Quality Control - Jurassic 5

I hope you are swayed by this!

Advantages: witty, honest and fresh
Disadvantages: I can't contrive to think of any!

...contribute in my assessment of this offering (first of five?!) from "Little Derek". Amusing, honest and, at times, disturbing this album represents an intriguing account of growing up in 21st century London. In contrast to the machismo of his contemporary American counterparts Sway manages to inject some self-depreciating humour into this record, which acts as a welcome antidote to the posturing of the 'bling brigade'! Humour is rife within this ...
...you find yourself laughing at this record the fist of reality will be hammered ruthlessly into your consciousness to remind you in no uncertain terms about the dark reaches from whence it came. "Pretty Ugly Husband" is a horrifying expose of domestic violence that is backed by a soundtrack of unpleasant screams and terrified protestations. A serious track from a serious artist. By the looks of this first major offering it really seems that "Little ...

matt_1509 04.03.2007 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful
Review of This Is My Demo - Sway