4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
"Say Ho, Ho, Ho...now SCREAM!", July 28, 2005
This review is from: Code Red (Audio CD)
I was hella lucky to find this, and got it at a hella nice used price. Needless to say, I got more than I paid for. This was Jazzy Jeff and FP's last full-length together. I'm assuming that this album was also a little different than their previous four.
Like many of the reviewers here have stated, you haven't lived until you've heard "I'm Looking For The One (To Be With Me)," which is undoubtedly the best cut from the cd. It's one of the smoothest songs I've ever heard, and invokes much nostalgia of similar early-90s music. In fact, JJ & FP freak a whole mess of smooth cuts throughout the album. The other ones are old-school homages. Pete Rock even produces a couple joints on here, so that should make your decision right there to check this out.
My other favorite song here is "Scream," which is precisely old-school and way too fun. Shouting along with that song in the car helped liven my mood a day after a rough breakup! Songs like this remind you that music doesn't have to be so complex to be memorable. A lot of timeless oldies are so because they were easy to sing along with or understand. A lot of these artists today seem to overlook this fact. "Shadow Dreams" is another great smooth cut, where the Prince details one of his personal philosophies on life without being preachy. "Something Like Dis" is a zany kickoff, while "I Wanna Rock" takes you to the very earliest days of Hip Hop.
Fresh Prince humbles himself on the standout, "Twinkle Twinkle (I'm Not A Star)," and I liked how Jazzy contributed to the chorus. "I Can't Wait To Be With You" is a solid romantic cut, and a rare collaboration between Rap and a deep-voiced R&B singer (Christopher Williams). "Boom (Shake The Room)" can get a little corny, but it's still fun and I like the newfound style that the Prince utilizes. "Code Red" is a claustrophobic bug-out moment, where Prince tells a story over a crazy beat. This story is much more mature than his past ones, and I like it. "Just Kickin' It" is smooth as I remember, but the one I can least recall, while the following "Ain't No Place Like Home" is a potential favorite. It gets a little sappy at the end, but overall it's message is 'to not take time with your family for granted'...not to often you get these messages in Hip Hop.
Overall, not a bonafide 5 star album, but possibly a dark-horse candidate for their best album together? "Code Red" definitely shows how they've evolved. Fresh Prince shows how you can kick the basics without having to be insulting or degrading. And his rapping represents the basics, not simplistic though, there's a big difference. At times, he flows at warp speed just for the fun of it, and shows how skilled of an MC he really is (contrary to uninformed opinions). The whole album is an exercise in old-school Hip Hop and smoothness, to say the least. Take this one, along with Will's newest "Lost and Found," and you have hours-on-end entertainment.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An underrated hip-hop classic!, June 6, 2004
This review is from: Code Red (Audio CD)
This has got to be one of the most underrated hip-hop albums of all-time let alone in 1993. Around the early 90s, a new era of rap called "Gangsta Rap" began to take place. However, DJ Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince continued to make music as they were against the gangsta rap music.
Code Red is JJ & FP's is by far their best album. The opening track "Somethin' Like Dis" is a track in which the old-school meets the new-school. "I'm Looking for the One(to be with me)" is not only my fav. song but a great song to listen to when hanging with people. "Twinkle Twinkle(I'm not A Star)" explains that even though Fresh Prince is a big rapper/actor, he is still the same person. "Shadow Dreams" features inspiring lyrics about never to give up your dreams and to keep aiming for them. "I Wanna Rock" is an old-school song in which JJ & FP take it back with DJ Jazzy Jeff just tearin' up the turntables. You also can't forget the 1993 hit "Boom! Shake the Room" which is an enery filled track full of adrenaline. That will definatly get a party going. The rest of Code Red is outstanding. A must for hip-hop fans who aren't brain-washed by today's mainstream trash. 5 stars!
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Big Will? Hardcore? Now thats something different!, November 16, 2000
This review is from: Code Red (Audio CD)
Well, if you always thought of Will Smith as a soft, non-swearing momma's boy, this album will change your mind. I like rap without all the cussing, and I'm a fan of smooth oldschool style. This album brings out a few of his only "smooth rap" songs that he's ever done. If you've heard "Big Willie Style" and "Willenium" and preferred Doc Dre after you heard them, this may be the album for you. I just wanted to say that there was a review that said Will and Jazzy Jeff couldn't do hip-hop. Whoever said that obviously is deffffff!
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