Get To Know H.E.R.

Hits: Shine All Day, (ft Q-Tip, Jumz, Kel Spencer) (borders on Ball), We Speak Hip Hop (ft Afasi, Kase O, Maccho, Abass, KRS-One), Bounce Back (ft Busta Rhymes and DJ Scratch), Tribute To The Breakdancer (ft Supernatural)

Strikes: Swagger (ft Red Café, Snoop Dogg, Lynda Carter), When I Get There (ft Big Daddy Kane), I Got Sumthin To Say (ft Lordikim, Jay-Flo, Almighty Thor), Can I Take You Higher (Mr. Cheeks, Grandmaster Caz, Tito), Unpredictable (ft Big Daddy Kane and Syndee), Those Chix (ft Byata, Princess Superstar, Hedonis Da Amazon, Syndee), Oh Man (ft Syndee and Natacha Atlas)

Balls: Welcome, Here Comes My DJ (ft DJ Kool and DJ Demo), What If (KRS One), Grown and Sexy (ft Mr Cheeks), Connection, Bronx Bombers (ft Almighty Thor, Lordikim, Mann Child), Zuka The Sound

I mean no disrespect to an absolute legend. But damn if this isn’t the most average release I’ve heard so far in the new year. I gotta get to work so I’ll make this as short as possible.

Grandmaster Flash is great as a DJ but when it comes to producing beats, most of these sound like your average joe schmo backdrops. Some, such as the one on When I Get There, are straight garbage. But as I always say, lyrics above production right? I mean, Grandmaster Flash can put together some alright beats but if they have some quality rhymes over them, the end result would’ve been fire, or at the very least, enjoyable. Unfortunately, the quality of emceeing on this album is wildly inconsistent and ranges from good to absolutely horrible. Even the veterans on the album sound as if they’re simply on the album out of some sort of obligation, since most of their rhymes come off as extremely run of the mill, especially by their standards. For example, Big Daddy Kane and Mr. Cheeks, two emcees who’ve proven their talent over and over again, spit some questionable material on each of the two songs they’re featured in.

The album however, isn’t without any redeeming qualities. As previously mentioned, some of the rapping is pretty good (ie. Busta Rhymes and Q-Tip’s verses), and the overall theme is presented fairly well. Of course the problem with the second reason is that these “lessons” on the culture were pretty basic in nature and I’m pretty damn sure that anybody who would be checking for a Grandmaster Flash album in the first place will know all of that already. Still, I gotta give props for trying, and besides, We Speak Hip Hop is probably one of the most interesting songs I’ve heard in a while.

I realize that today’s review seems rushed and unorganized, and that’s probably because I am rushed today. Just know that you really don’t need to check for this release. This could’ve been so much more, but as it is it won’t add anything to your hip hop life if you do listen and it won’t take anything away from it if you don’t.