America Is Dying Slowly [Enhanced]

Red Hot AIDS Benefit Series | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 25, 1996)
• Original Release Date: June 25, 1996
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced
• Label: Elektra / Wea
• ASIN: B000002HMK
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #178,089 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

After releasing seven successful AIDS benefit compilations that focus on genres from dance to indie-rock to country, in 1996 the Red Hot Organization put out its first hip-hop record, America Is Dying Slowly (note the acronym). But with African Americans accounting for 60 percent of U.S. AIDS cases, and AIDS now the No. 1 cause of death for Americans 25 to 44, you'd think an album like this would have been produced sooner. Apparently, though, it took the AIDS-related death of rapper Eazy-E the year before to awaken the hip-hop community to the problem. Unlike past non-rap Red Hot projects, which were more about raising funds than increasing awareness, the conversational nature of rap allows it to address the issues directly without sounding awkward or preachy. While making us dance and laugh, Domino tells us to "Sport That Raincoat" and Biz Markie, Chubb Rock, and Prince Paul warn, "No Rubber, No Backstage Pass." But the messages sent are not always on the mark: there are bits of the usual conspiracy theories (Mobb Deep) and entirely too much finger-pointing at the "nasty hoes" (Sadat X, Fat Joe, and Diamond D.) and "no-good hoes" (Spice 1, Celly Cel, and Ant Banks). But the compilation also delivers sensitivity and subtlety from some unlikely places. Wu-Tang Clan's title track, for instance, limps along a simple two-chord piano loop that makes for some of the most melancholic hip-hop ever created. Adding to the various viewpoints offered here, Eightball and MJG offer "Listen to Me Now," a rap from the virus's perspective. It all seems appropriate; AIDS, after all, has long been the most ruthless and indiscriminate gangsta in town. --Roni Sarig

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The Message Gets Across For The Most Part (Rating: 7 out of 10- -3.5 stars), March 7, 2007

By 

Chandler "Infamous" (Atlanta (College Park), Georgia) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: America Is Dying Slowly (Audio CD)

Funny I received this at a safe sex convention a while ago out in Los Angeles. This album is featuring rappers that are supposed to promote safe sex and stay away from drugs. In some ways it does. Some of the songs really get down to the point like the Chubb Rock & Biz Markie song "No Rubber No Backstage Pass" and the song "Check Ya Self" with Ant Banks, Spice 1, and others. So the message in many of the songs are right in your face, in a case to protect yourself from AIDS, which I'm sure you know what that is (if you don't you need to look it up ASAP). Some of the songs are real hard to catch on like the Organized Konfusion song "Decisions" and "Lately I've Been Thinking" with Common and Sean Lett.

A lot of these songs really have nothing to do with the concept of this album, like Coolio's "I Breaks 'Em Off" and Mobb Deep's "Street Life", causing a lot of this album to fall under skip material.

This CD is part of the "Red Hot AIDS Benefit Series". I'm assuming the money that came from the sales of this album went to AIDS perceedings to help eliminate it. I bought this for $2.00 because of the names I saw that were on it and thought it would be nice. Most of this album teaches a lesson, while the rest is just filler. But you can buy this as low as a penny, so it's something you want to check out.

Favorite Tracks: No Rubber No Backstage Pass, The Yearn, America, Blood, Check Ya Self, Lately I've Been Thinking, Decisions, Sport That Raincoat, Stay Away From The Nasty H***

Peace Everyone!!!

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars BUY IT, February 22, 2006

By 

LAWJISTIK "LAWJISTIK" (Houston) - See all my reviews

This review is from: America Is Dying Slowly (Audio CD)

This CD is definitly worth the $1.00 it cost. most songs cost that nowadays, & this has plenty of jams.

0 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Got A Free Flowin' Theme 'Bout It...., June 14, 2000

By 

"ill_will" - See all my reviews

This review is from: America Is Dying Slowly (Audio CD)

Da track wit' Pete Rock + Lost Boyz is da illest track on this CD, 'The Yearn'. Da Wu-Tang represent on this CD. I gotta say this is a dope CD but it lackz some serious gangsta. It needed Tupac on it or someone like dat. Definate jammin' CD.