Customer Reviews

Back to Basics

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

So its not that I have a particular problem with crossover dancehall albums, its just that. . . well, they generally end up being way more crossover than dancehall. The bottomline is that the same problems that exist in crossing dancehall over to a bigger (i.e. US) audience will always exist. The language will never be understood, the artists will never be as identifiable, their skill never as appreciated (in the US) as in Jamaica.

That being said, with Sean Paul, Elephant Man, and Wayne Wonder taking a greater place in the US music scene since the Doctor's last effort, its only right and proper that the real big man come back to reclaim what's rightfully his. Back to Basics is pretty straight forward, jumbled sounding dancehall album, and despite what's been going on lately (both in US and in Jamaica) there isn't a living artist who does those better than Beenie Man. The best tune here is arguably the 'first' single Dude (actually the second single from Def Jamaica), also love the real first single King of the Dancehall, really pretty much typical Beenie Man fare on that one, very familiar sounding. Also, old school real dancehall heads take a listen to the basic chorus on the curiously titled Grindacologist, strictly from an old Yellowman tune (Soldier Takeover). Love Get on Bad (no relation to the soca kaiso tune of the same name), Doctor Mi Rate Yu with protege Ms Thing, D-O or G-O, with odd machine computer sounding vocalist Ghost. The only 'crossover' attempt is the Timbaland produced All Girls Party which ends up amounted to the noted hip-hop producer's best attempt at making a riddim. The album ends on a very high note with Back Against the Wall, backed by a acoustic guitar riddim on which Beenie strictly tells a story, very cool, very meaningful way to end a great project.
Overall, this is leaps and bounds over Tropical Storm, while that album had its spots (mainly centering around Miss L.A.P. and Bossman). Its the greatest dancehall artist ever digging in his bag of tricks and pulling out a show stopper. Its the Trendsetter album new and improved; and in a summer where there are so many huge reggae projects out and about (i.e. Baby Cham and Assassin's big label debuts, Da Real Followup album and of course the return of the Empress) Back to Basics is everything it should've been and slightly more.
WARNING: BADMAN LYRICS PON DESE TUNES

I love me some reggae! Beenie is a reggae genius to all those who can't say anything nice about synthetic reggae or the man shouldn't say nothing at all. This is one of his best albums that I really enjoy. When it comes time for me to move away from radio music or anything mainstream I go international or should I say overseas.

Even though he goes deep with "Back Against the Wall," he still nails the naughty numbers like he was born to strut. "Doctor Mi Rate Yu" and "Grindacologist" is one of my favorites due to its catchy and irresistible chorus. The Timbaland-produced "All Girls Party" has some frisky beat and gives Beenie plenty of lyrical inspiration that fits rather nicely. "Dr. Know" with Jimmy Cheezetrix has an old and new vibe reggae that's on point as well as "If A never God", which is also a good song. R. Kelly is the only other singer who can actually pull off "Take off your Underwear," and get away with it but I couldn't help but to like this song.

Beenie also does a excellent job with "King of the Dancehall" an anthem that he puts out convincingly, and when he mimics Yellowman's faux Chinese on "Love All Girls," it's an admirable nod to an obvious influence. It's good to see Beenie moving away from just odes to booty with these little lyrical touches. I will also add "Get on Bad," and "Set Away," as standout tracks from this album.

`Back to Basics' is a keeper because you can't go wrong with the King of Dancehall.Even if you don't understand him lyrically the rhythm of this album will make up for it. Highly recommend to all reggae lovers and to those who are interested in this flavor.

No regrets buying this cd from buyer No scratches plays very well it's always on in the car in my changer will place another order in the future.

I bought this CD keep it in my car for about a week and I can honestly say this CD is good. Hard beats, catchy lyrics, music that makes you want to get up and dance.

Personal favorite `All Girls Party', `Doctor Mi Rate Yu', `Get on Bad', `Grindacologist', `Eloh', `D-O or G-O', `Back Against the Wall' . This CD is sick.

Basically, if you enjoyed Sean Pauls CD you'll most definitely enjoy this one. Like 'Vibe' magazine said this CD is a 4.5/ 5 and I have to agree.

This is my favorite release from Beenie since his The Doctor release. This is the kind of CD you can put in your player and just let it play and play. After buying my copy, I had it playing in my CD player for a straight week. The beats on this album are awesome. The lyrics make you want to sing right along or just get up and dance. Dude is one of my favorite cuts on the album, but I actually like the remix version that I have as a single with Shawna and Ms. Thing. Her verse adds a little something to the cut and it's a shame it was not included on the album. I'm a huge dancehall fan, and Beenie has enough dancehall cuts on the album to keep you satisfied. This is a must have album to have in your collection.

I will admit there are times I don't totally understand what Beenie is saying, but I'm so caught up in the rhythm I really don't care. I enjoy some of the songs to dance and work out to. Beenie seems to always have one song praising God on his albums, and this album is no different. "If A never God", is a nice song. It has a nice beat to get your praise on with.

Cuts I enjoyed the most:
1. Dude
2. King of Dancehall
3. Love all Girls
5. Grindacologist
6. Get On Bad
7. Good Woe
8. Doctor Mi Rate Yu
9. Set Away
10. Eloh
11. All Grind Party
12. P***y Language

This album is worth having in your CD collection for sure.

All I can say is go thru Beenie. I have been sick and tired of the watered down pop-dancehall that Jamaican artists have been coming out with for the sake of appealing to fickle American audiences. Glad to see Beenie go back to his roots, singing music for his people, who won't turn on him for expressing his culture.
As to the lyrical content, perhaps from now on Beenie should make 2 versions of his CDs- the true dancehall for those who understand the culture and don't read more into it than they should, and a watered down version for the US market, for the wanna-be hip who suddenly discovered dancehall and feel like they can criticize that which they do not understand.

Either way, if you are not a hardcore dancehall lover from foundation, don't bother buying this CD. It is what it is, take it or leave it. But Beenie, Nuff RASpect for keeping it real again, SEEN

Man Oh Man. Just when prople think that Beenie Man is Done he comes out with another hot album. He really went Back to the Basic Beenie. He really shows his domination of dancehall through out the years with all of the major production on the album. He has "Dude" on the Festa Riddim by Mad House, "Good Woe on the Coolie Dance Riddim, "Love All Girls" on the Ching Chong Riddim by Black Shadow, "Doctor Mi Rate Yu" on the Mad Guitar Riddim by Don Corleon and "Dr Know" on the Pretty Pretty Riddim. My favorite songs have to be "All Girls Party", "Set Away" and "Get On Bad". This is a classic CD

In his music, Beenie Man advocates killing gays. More than
30 gays have been killed in Jamaica where he comes from.
His music has lots of influence there. In some cases mobs
sang his anti-gay songs while they killed a gay.
When asked to apologize and change his ways he wrote a song about how he
would not apologize. If someone advocated the killing
of Blacks or Jews, they would not be tolerated. It seems strange
that in the 21st century the world still tolerates someone
who advocates the killing of gays. Please don't support him by
purchasing his music.

BBC: Growing up gay in Jamaica
The homophobic lyrics of Jamaican reggae stars have hit the headlines, but what is the reality of being gay in a society where it is illegal to practise your sexuality?
Elephant Man's lyrics call for gays to be killed
Michael is verbally abused, threatened and spat at every time he leaves his home in Kingston, Jamaica, but the 20-year-old student considers himself lucky.
He has friends who have been beaten and stabbed because they are gay but, as yet, he has not been attacked. He knows it could happen anytime.
"My friends have been chopped up and all of that, you'd think they were a piece of meat in the slaughter house. It is terrible," he says.
Every time he goes out he is called a "battyman" - an abusive term for a gay man - and says the general attitude in Kingston is if you are homosexual you may as well be dead.
[A] major influence in people's lives is dancehall music. Its stars, including international artists such as Beenie Man and Buju Banton, are regarded as "teachers" by the young, says Michael. The music is steeped in homophobia, with lyrics from Buju Banton's Boom Boom Bye Bye, threatening gay men with a "gunshot in ah head" and Beenie Man's stating "I'm a dreaming of a new Jamaica, come to execute all the gays".

Beenie and his band are excellent and I don't know of any songs that aren't good on this album. I have seen him live many times and cannot wait to see him in August in Philadelphia abd July at Sumfest in Montego Bay! Gotta catch the remix of Dude
Barb Coyle