Customer Reviews

Brief History of Rhyme: Greatest Hits

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Whether you're a physics student, an avid gangsta rap fan, a little of both, or just like a good laugh, this is the CD for you. Who could forget lines like "I'm a 3 sandwich eatin', super-model meetin', step to me punk and you're gonna get a beatin'" or "I got a Phd in pain and a masters in disaster, the mighty Stephen Hawking is a [censored] QuakeMaster"? Or from my favorite track ('All My Shootings Be Drive Bys'), "Nine on my lap AK in my hand, I roll up slow like a snake in the sand. I wait till I'm sure they can see my face, then I bust out slugs to the beat of the bass."

This is hardcore rap at its best. But that's not all - the Led Zeppelin medley shows brilliant talent at guitar and bass. And when the Hawkman drops science, he doesn't fool around. MC Hawking's 'Entropy' puts a complicated physics concept in plain English. I'll leave you with a bit of lyrics from that track:

"Defining entropy as disorder's not complete,
'cause disorder as a definition doesn't cover heat.
So my first definition I would now like to withdraw,
and offer one that fits thermodynamics second law.
First we need to understand that entropy is energy,
energy that can't be used to state it more specifically.
In a closed system entropy always goes up,
that's the second law, now you know what's up."

I've been listening to MC Hawking for years, and this greatest hits collection has some seriously funny [stuff]. MC Hawking combines the world of theoretical physics with gansta rap, and to my knowledge invented the field of astrophysical hip hop.

On this CD are some of my favorite oldies: "The Mighty Stephen Hawking", "F#@k the Creationists", and "Crazy as F#@k". They range from the hardcore physics side, "Entropy", to a more rap-style with scientific motivation like "All my Shootings be Drive-Bys". In addition there are some new songs on this CD that have appeared nowhere else: "The Hawkman Cometh", "The Dozens", "Big Bizang", and "Bitchslap". I was *very* pleased with these new songs -- they are tight, well-written, and don't-listen-if-you-have-a-hernia funny. In particular, "Bitchslap" is, I think, the funniest thing that has ever been produced by western culture.

A bit of warning, though: both traditional and new and creative expletives are used liberally throughout. As if you couldn't figure that out. Anyway, I do want to add, however, that although the lyrics are wonderfully tasteless, they are not offensive unless you're a creationist.

If you have even a casual interest in science and are under the age of about 40, you'll love this CD.

I enjoy humor, but most comedy CDs are a one-shot deal because most humor relies on an element of surprise. Not MC Hawking. If you have an interest in science, you will almost certainly find this CD to be hilarious.

I don't like any other rap, but I love this CD and I listen to it all the time. It's one of the few CDs where I usually find myself singing along. They're all high energy songs that are great road tunes. Crank it up, roll down the windows, and teach some punks in your 'hood some science.

As others have mentioned, the language is rough. It doesn't bother me, but it does bother some people. There are recurring anti-fundamentalist themes, with little tolerance for fundamentalists trying to force creationism to be taught in science classes, and that's OK with me too. Hey, do I go to your church and start preaching science?

If you love science, you'll love M.C. Hawking. These tracks cover a wide variety scientific topics, including evolution (F#@k the Creationists), creation of the universe (Big Bizang), thermodynamics (Entropy), unified field theory (UFT for the MC), science in general (What We Need More of is Science), as well as other geeky topics, like video games (GTA3). Other tracks tell stories of the ongoing rivalry between Cambridge England and Cambridge Massachusetts (All my Shootings be Drivebys). The language isn't for young ears, but you'd have to be older to truly appreciate the humor anyways. Highly recommended.

Profane, derivitive and insensitive, 'A Brief History of Rhyme' is also prescient, trailblazing and tender. Oh, and did I mention funny? Apparently this also has the endorsement of the biggest little man around unless Dr. Hawking was duped into agreeing to have multiple photographs of his own self appear in the booklet. Must you enjoy rap to lend your ears to this? Must you be a scientist? Must you be a geek? Must you have a sense of humor? No, no, no and yes.

In one word - Unique. I've listened to this album many times over and it's actually on my iPod. I have no clue as to why someone would want to buy NWA over MC Hawkings, but you've heard it here first from a self proclaimed engineer. This has wit, style, and a funny background. I'll be a life long fan.

The joke of having Hawking do gangsta rap wouldn't last an entire album except (a) the science is actually pretty good, and (b) the music is totally great.

I'd like to mention I also like Beastie Boys and N.W.A. and Run-DMC -- essentially, if you like rap, I suspect you'll like this album.

This album is brilliant. Why, just its music mixes and phat beatz alone are better than many real rap songs. The fact that it's supposedly from a world-famous astrophysicist laying down the fundamental laws of the universe is only a hilarious bonus. I am a huge MC Hawking fan. His content has never disappointed. You could put on some beatbox and rap this with your own voice. It seriously sounds good! Mr. Leavitt-Lawrence is a talented and witty man.

Well, what to say about this one? I had a friend turn me onto MC Hawking, and I haven't regreted it a lick. The songs are fun and funny, and the CD will keep you entertained for years. Buy one...or 40....because everyone you get it for will love it (except those who object to foul language)....

-Mark

Yes, this is a joke CD. Stephan Hawking as a gangsta rapper. This sounds like a joke that would get old, say, after the first 20 seconds. But you know, it works. This is one the best rap records I've bought in a long time. I don't know what this means for the current state of rap and hip-hop, but I just plain enjoyed this CD.

First off, this is a funny CD. Yeah, the premise is lame, but the smart lyrics mixed with the pure absudity makes it a perfect "smart-stupid" comedy. The lyrics are either based on gangster rap, quantum physics, or other innane topics like Grand Theft Auto. You will be chanting "You down with entropy, yeah you know me, who's down with entropy, every last homie". This is, however, mostly original music.

Now don't let the joke motif fool you. Sure, this is not gangsta rap, but I find this less absurd than a guy who's been shot nine times who can barely ennuciate words making millions of dollars. The beats are fantastic, and the Stephan Hawking voice is more like a techno laced rapper that suprisingly well. I'd consider this "alternative-rap", not satire.

The CD has about 13 songs, each with varying degrees of beats, funk, speed, and the like. The creator spent time and effort on this - and it shows. Most people will write this off as an attempt at humor. I'd say this is a piece of inventive art.