Customer Reviews

Critical Beatdown

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
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THIS IS THE GREATEST HIP-HOP ALBUM OF ALL-TIME! I repeat ALL-TIME! First of all, recognize that this album was followed within months by De La's "Three Feet High and Rising", so when everyone was falling over themselves praising De LA's innovation (really Prince Paul's)Ultra's album was pushed to the side by the "critics". But the hardcore hiphop heads were still getting eargasms from Ultramagnetic. Not only were Kool Keith's rhymes light years of anybody on the mike at the time, (yes, including the god KRS) Ced Gee was doing a Dr. Dre on the production and rhyme flow tip. This was by far a quantum leap ahead for hip-hop production and beat programming(extensive 808 use was a big deal back then). The album is so strong that the only way to listen to it is front to back. The change in pacing of the rhyme flow and the tracks throughout the album is pure hip-hop at its best. Anyone who doesn't give props to this album either wasn't around when it dropped or doesn't understand that when an album this old can still sound this good YOU ARE LISTENING TO A CLASSIC!

If you thought the likes of Canibus, Chino XL, or Pharoahe Monch were the summit of the "ahead of their time" hip-hop mountain, then you obviously missed out on the Ultramagnetic MC's and their early rap contributions.

The Ultramagnetic MC's highly respected world-shattering classic Critical Beatdown, was THE first official new-school hip-hop album, in an old-school era. With Ced-Gee's revolutionary use of the drum machine, and of course Kool Keith's off-beat rhyme style, fully equipped with lyrics that clearly proclaim Kool Keith the one truly ahead of their time if there ever was one.

From beginning to end, Critical Beatdown freezes all other early rap classics, and anything afterwards. A classic of classics. Truly, a masterpiece, among masterpieces. If you thought Big Daddy Kane, Rakim, or even the hip-hop philosopher himself, KRS-One, deserve more acclaim than Kool Keith and the Ultramagnetic MC's for their early hip-hop achievements, do yourself a favor, buy Critical Beatdown, and think again.

If you love old skool '80s hip-hop you need to own this.Kool Keith proves himself to be one of the all time great MCs with this album.If you're getting into Keith then you should start with Critical Beatdown,then move onto Dr.Octagon,Dr.Dooom,Sex Style and Black Elvis.Ced Gee is a great producer and he does a lot of innovative tracks throughout this album,especially 'Ego Trippin',which disses Run DMC for their dismissal of underground hip-hop.Keith's freestyling on that track is incredible.

This album is underrated as hell but as you listen to it you realise how influential it is.Dr. Dre utilised the beat from 'Funky' on 'California Love',Public Enemy swiped the beat from 'Ease Back' on 'Terminator X To The Edge Of Panic" and the awesome 'Give The Drummer Some' was sampled by the Prodigy on 'Smack My B!tch Up'
This album is a must own and as Keith says on'Ease Back';"Ain't that somethin'/I'm the best MC in the whole wide world".Not the best maybe but damn close.

Some people think that Kool Keith is totally jocking himself, and that his self praise isn't warranted. These people are wrong, and this album alone proves that Keith can jock himself for the rest of his life. This is one of the most slept-on classic hip hop albums ever made, and it influenced 99% of underground hip hop from 1988 on, even though most of the people who were influenced by it don't even realize that they were. From the beats, with Ced Gee's manipulation on the SP 1200, to Kool Keith's mind bogglingly abstract rhyming, this is an end to end banger, no doubt. If you consider yourself a fan of Real Hip Hop, and you don't have this album yet, punch yourself real hard, then go out and get it. A Classic!

this is hip hop beyond it's time!! kool keith has really put himself into the number 1b. slot behind RAKIM!! THIS ALBUM IS FOR TRUE HIP-HOP HEADS!!!

This album still sounds as fresh as it did when i first heard it over 10 years ago, i believe this album raised the creative level in hip hop at the time. Keith and Ced Gee were great with their back and forth ryhme style. Nice beats, nice everything...Definetely one of the top 5 hip hop albums of all time, if not the best in my opinion

If you profess to be a hip hop historian like myself, you'll understand why its a must to have this cd in your collection!! Ced-Gee's tight production along with his (and then partner Kool Keith) "avant garde" style of rhyming pioneered the way for many emcees and producers of today. After listening to this album from beginning to end, you may find yourself in your flyest b-boy stance!! A true hip hop classic.....

Yes it is true, "Critical Beatdown" by Ultramagnetic MC's is one of my favorite albums I've heard. The Ultramagnetic MC's consisted of Kool Keith, Ced Gee, Moe Luv, and TR Love. Kool Keith and Ced Gee would be the vocalists in the group, Moe Luv was the primary DJ and TR Love was the their back up DJ. Funky production was curteosy of Ced Gee.

At a time in 1988 when rap was being surfaced with political views like Public Enemy, and the dawn of gangsta rap like N.W.A. were making an impact in its culture, Ultramagnetic MC's were down in the Ultra Lab, creating an album to let listeners know that rap wasn't just for that concept. They wern't trying to sound like gangsta rappers or getting involved in movements many movents that were going on at the time. This group were just out to show off their skills and make a name for themselves. With banging singles like "Ego Trippin", and "Funky (remix)", Ultramagnetic MC's proved to listeners they were just as good as any other rap group out there.

On to the "Critical Beatdown" album. Listening to Kool Keith on tracks like "Kool Keith Housing Things", I have a feeling that he was confortable with the way he was rhyming, as he rode each beat with ease. It seemed like there was not one time I was scratching my head wondering what in the world he was saying. Each rhyme he said was making perfect sense. Ced Gee was just as good as Kool Keith when it came to him behind the mic. A good example would be the chance he gets to shine on his solo "Ced Gee (Delta Force One)". His production was great also. Ced claimed that BDP's Scott La Rock helped with his production skills, teaching him how to use the SP-12 (for those that don't know, thats a machine that makes drum beats), and tought him how to chop up samples. Obviously Ced Gee got the hang real quickly, because it would greatly show inside of his production. DJ Moe Luv scratches would play a part in this album also. There are a lot of times when Moe Love would get his chance to shine, like in the middle "Ego Trippin" as he would get some cuts in, as well as "Moe Luv's Theme". TR Love would DJ in the album also, but not as much, but he does get a verse in the song "A Chorus Line", which I will get into. All songs here shine in a unique way, which is why I enjoy this album.

Now I bought this around this time last year, and saw that it was remastered, and six bonus tracks were added. Tracks 1-15 were on the origonal, and 16-21 are the ones that were added in. The origonal 12" version of "Funky" is dope but I like the remix better that appears in the album. "Bait" was a promo that was used on the DJ Red Alert Show back in 1988. The beat to that song was sampled by EPMD on the song "Brothers On My Jock" and on Ghostface Killah's "Daytona 500" later on in time. "A Chorus Line" once again proved why Ultra was one of the greatest groups. This time they introduce an emcee named Tim Dog (you might recognize him from the notorious song "F**k Compton" which sparked the response from Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg back around 1991/'92) to do the first verse to make a name for himself. As I said earlier, TR gets a verse in the song also starting off with "Hold the beat, stop the beat, drop the beat...". My personal favorite is the "Traveling At The Speed Of Thought (Hip House Mix)", because it comes like a dance party track, but at the same time keeps it's hip hop style while sampling Afrika Bambatta's "Planet Rock".

To think, one day last year, a 19 year old teenager came across this album at a music store by accident. I really had no idea who Ultra or Kool Keith was or the way that it sounded, but I'm glad that I came across this, because it's now one of my top 10 favorite hip hop albums ever. Not often are classics like this are remastered and reissued, so if you're looking for some classic old school 80's hip hop albums, then this would be a perfect addition to your collection. As for Ultramagnetic, this album reached #1 in Rap's top 15, and #57 in Bilboard's top Rap and R&B charts back in '89, according to the booklet inside the album. They would go to realease 2 more albums: "Funk Your Head Up" in 1992, "The Four Horsemen" in 1993, and the "B-Side Companion" in 1997 that some remixed tracks appear on this album. I haven't heard "Funk Your Head Up" or "The B-Side Companion" just yet, but I believe that "The Four Horsemen" is another Ultramagnetic classic that should be heard. The group would split up and Kool Keith would do an album with Tim Dog called "Ultra: Big Time", and realease many albums under many aliases (Dr. Octagon, Dr. Dooom, Rev Tom, and many more) as well as his own name. Also there are a few bootleg Ultramagnetic mixtapes that Ced Gee released, showcasing some of the group's earlier work, before they became popular. But from what I heard Ultramagnetic reunited about a year ago, so thats some good news. As I said before this right here is a pure classic that should be heard by hip hop heads, old and young. Pick up your copy and enjoy.

Lyrics: A+
Production: A+
Musical Vibes: A+
Overall: A+

My Favorite Tracks: Ease Back, Ego Trippin, Kool Keith Housing Things, Feelin' It, Funky (both versions), Critical Beatdown, Ced-Gee (Delta Force One), A Chorus Line, Traveling At The Speed Of Thought (Hip House Club Mix), and Mentally Mad


Chandler Infamous, and I'm out y'all. Peace!

Never since Run DMC's Raising Hell has their been a groundbreaking album like Critical Beatdown. Influencing the top rappers of the 90's and inspiring the innovation of Kool Keith as Dr. Octagon and Company Flow's debut album Funcrusher Plus, Ultramagnetic MC's released the unseen gem of '88. This is a must for any hip hop fan.

Heavy bass drops, dope scratching, original lyrics and flows. Kool Keith's one of a kind style was so advanced back then that he has'nt changed it much at all over the years. Ced G kind of reminds me of the RZA, mabe the RZA was influenced by him. TR Love's excessive scratching is some of the greatest I have ever heard aside from Mr Dibbs, and Buck 65. Hands down illest old school album in my book. Buy this for your collection you won't be dissapointed.