spark

Spark that blunt nigga Current mood:happy Well, I need to finally post a review of something I did for a local Brooklyn Ny newspaper years and years ago: (From summer 1996 to be exact While more and more people are buying Cd players or stereos and radios with the CD compatibility, Cd sales continue at a healthy pace. A large part of this equation has to do with the Hip/Hop scene, which is in full effect in 1996. The album I will start you off with is Liquid Swords by the GZA/GENIUS. It was released in late 1995. I liked the album alot but I think it is not the best I have heard. The Genius is solo on his new album but gets alot of help from his friends, The Wu-Tang Clan. My favorite songs are Shadowboxing' with Method Man, 4th Chamber with Tony Starks, Killah Priest, and the Rza, Killah Hills 10304, I Gotcha Back and Duel of the Iron Mic. This is a great album for Wu-Tang fans and just an average album for general rap fans. I have gotten alot of positive feedback for the GZA's Liquid Swords. This album has already sold over 70,000 copies in the store as of June 96. All in all, I would give GZA/GENIUS' Liquid Swords three stars out of a possible 4. For now Liquid Swords is the latest Wu/solo project but later in the summer, Tony Starks is going solo with the album Iron Man. (Yeah that for real, I had the scoop too. I had the demo tape the whole summer a full 4 months ahead of the general public Iron Man from meeting a rep from his label) Allmusic [1] Entertainment Weekly (B+) [2] Melody Maker (Positive) [2] Rap Reviews [3] NME [2] Option (Positive) [2] Q [4] Stylus Magazine (Favorable) [5] The Wire (Positive) [2] The Source Added the reviews from other venues just now) The Wu-Tang Clan were on top of the Hip/Hop scene in 1994 and now each member just happens to be going solo and developing identities for themselves. Method Man has Tical, Raekwon has his first album Only Built for Cuban Linx, The Old Dirty Bastard has Return to the 36 Chambers, and also the two previously mentioned albums above. Ghostface Killah and others of course appeared on the original album: the Platinum chart-topper Enter the Wu-Tang: The 36 Chambers. This was the best album because all the forces were combined. The original albums are very crucial for the sucessful launch of these solo careers. Now that I am talking about the subject, I will talk about the album. I should mention that my favorite songs off the album happen to be The Mysteries of Chessboxing, C.R.E.A.M, Protect Ya Neck, and Can It Be So Simple. The album overall I will say is a classic. I give it 4 stars for true Hip/Hop greatness. Another great album (no good or bogus albums so far) that is recently climbing up the charts is The Score by the Fugees. This album is great because it combines rap with classic style of R&B mix with phat beats and slamming poetic lyrics. My favorite songs are Ready or Not, Fu-gee-la, and Killing Me Softly. The second album from the Fugees seems better than the first. The Fugees are moving up the charts at a very rapid pace. They debuted on the Billboard Top 200 at No.7. At the present time, The Fugees are locked in at the Number 2 spot (As of May 6, 1996). The song, Killing Me Softly, is a remake of a Roberta Flack song. Unlike most remakes done today, this one is done perfectly. Fu-gee-la is a song about refugees that are trying to leave for a better life. This is the variety of the music that is the Fugees. I really did like the hit Nappy Headz off the first Fugees album from 1994, that was a real underground sensation. Fugees use the best mix of Hip/Hop and rap lyrics mixed with some of the best sensual singing out there. When I first heard of the Fugees in 1994 (also known as Refugee Camp) I did not generally like them as a whole group but now they would be on a list as one of my favorites. I give The Score three stars out of a possible four for it's originality and fresh quality. Stay tuned for more phat reviews in the future.