Get To Know H.E.R.

Damn, it’s been a while since I’ve last posted on the odyssey. It’s been damn near a week and a half since the Eric B and Rakim entry and I’m still on 1987. Not that I’m complaining mind you, considering I’m not looking forward to some of the post 2000 albums on our little trip. Anyways, today’s album is the debut album for the legendary Boogie Down Productions, best known for introducing the world to one of the best to ever hold a mic, KRS One. This album is remembered as the only BDP album to feature DJ Scott La Rock (R.I.P.) and also as the least preachy of the entire KRS discography. Now, since my next entry will be on MC Shan, I can go into the whole Bridge Wars era and the beef between KRS and Shan, but I’d rather not. It’s a long story, and you know, that’s what Wikipedia’s for.

The Good:

1. Poetry - It’s been a while since I’ve listened to this album, and damn…. 20 years does a lot to a man’s voice. I prefer the younger KRS’ vocals to the present’s, further adding to my theory that a big reason the legends “fall off” is due to their voice changing on them (ie. Q-Tip anyone?).

2. South Bronx - BDP’s response to MC Shan’s supposed claim that hip hop was born in Queensbridge still sounds great. To this day this is probably one of KRS’ more well known songs.

3. 9mm Goes Bang - I’m a sucker for violent crime stories set over happy, bouncy beats.

4. Word From Our Sponsor

5. Elementary - Knowledge Reigns Supreme Over Nearly Everyone. I’m also a sucker for dope ass backronyms.

6. Dope Beat - Samples Back In Black by AC/DC and sounds a lot like a Run DMC song in the process.

7. Remix For P Is Free - Fans of the Black Star album shoud definitely listen to some of Boogie Down Production’s stuff. Especially if your a fan of Definition. For those interested, I do think that Definition is the better song. Sorry BDP, but that song was the shit.

8. The Bridge Is Over - The infamous dis track that in my honest opinion, made any further songs put out during the beef sound weak by comparison.

10. Criminal Minded - Quite recently, DJ Premier and KRS worked on an 08 version of this song. As much as I love Primo’s work, his new version doesn’t come close to touching this classic.

The Solid:

9. Super Hoe - I think it’s just alright. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I don’t like it. But the rest of the album makes me overlook it.

The Bad: N/A

Final Score: 10.0

The weakest song on the entire album is Super Hoe, and even that song isn’t bad. There are really only a handful of hip hop albums ever made that I would award the status of Unfuckwithable Classic to. This is one album that every hip hop fan should have heard straight through at least once, and that every hip hop die hard should have in their collection (there’s a couple of albums that fall into this category. Maybe I’ll devote an entry to that one day). It’s not even out of print anymore, so ya’ll have no excuse. Shittt…I’ll even link you guys.

http://www.amazon.com/Criminal-Minded-Boogie-Down-Productions/dp/B000B8I8LO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1215459526&sr=1-2