Customer Reviews

Emcee's Properganda

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Around this time last year, Jin was releasing his long-delayed debut album, "The Rest is History." When it came out, it debuted at number 54 and ended up selling only 200,000 copies so far. There were a number of reasons why it didn't do well. First the delay, then the bickering between Ruff Ryders and Virgin Records, and Virgin not being able to choose a single for Jin(and there were better singles than "Learn Chinese" and "Senorita."). Tired of music industry politics, Jin made a song called "I Quit" and it was assumed that Jin would retire from the rap industry and focus on acting.

Wrong. Turns out, the song was a metaphor and Jin was starting over in the rap game. With a fresher look on his career, Jin left Ruff Ryders and decided to go independent. He hooked up with 16(now 17) year old Golden Child and Demo Beats to produce his album. He released his sophmore album through his new label CraftyPlugz and Draft Records. How does it stack up compared to his debut album? Pretty well actually.

1. "The Emcee(skit)" - The album starts off with a skit, which I skipped because I don't usually listen to skits in rap albums.

2. "Perspectives" - The song is about how Jin longs for the days when rap was about the lyrics and not the hooks found in many rap songs today. He mentions how good MC's are rare to find. I liked the song and Jin spits some good lyrics to go with the sick beat produced by Golden Child. 9 out of 10

3."Top 5(Dead or Alive)" - The first single from the album, which is about how you can't make a list for the best MC's as it's all up to opinion. Jin gives shout outs to different rappers, such as Nas, Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Common, Rakim, and others. Another nice beat from Golden Child. 9 out of 10

4. "Mr. Popular" - Another song I liked which has Jin bragging about his skills. Once again, Golden Child produces another good beat to go with Jin's skills.

5. "My First Time" - A take-off from Common's classic song, "I Used to Love H.E.R.", here we have Jin reminsicing about writing his first rhyme(although if you don't pay attention, you might think it's something else). A down-to-earth beat is provided by Golden Child. Not my favorite song, but it's still good. 7.5 out of 10

6. "Properganda" - Could be third single from this album, and it's also the only track not produced by Golden Child. It's produced by Demo Beats from Boston and it blends in nicely with the rest of the album. Another favorite of mine, which has Jin bashing the music industry. 9 out of 10

7. "No More Fans" - Song about how everyone seems they can rhyme, even though they don't have the skills for it. Jin provides good lyrics for this and the beat sounds like it would fit in nicely with Common's "Electric Circus" album. 8.5 out of 10

8. "G.O.L.D.E.N." - Song about different rap producers and how Golden Child is the future. Jin provides good lyrics but, I wasn't feeling the beat for this one. It kinda reminds me of the "Laffy Taffy" beat, although better. This song is also the only mainstream-ready one from the album. 7 out of 10

9. "Foolish Little Girls" - Jin has said that this is his favorite song from the album and I can see why. A nice beat provided by Golden Child, Jin raps about how preteen girls are acting way too mature for their age. Another good song. 9 out of 10

10. "The Craftiest(skit)" - Didn't listen to this, due to being a skit.

11. "100 Thousand Sold(Part 2)" - My second favorite song from this album, this song is a follow-up to part one, which can be heard on his official site, The [...]. I like it because it has probably the best lyrics on the album which go into how Jin almost quit rapping. Jin's manager, Big Kamel also says a few words on here. The beat is another good one produced by Golden Child. For a minute, I had to tell myself that 9th Wonder or Kanye West didn't produce it. 9.5 out of 10

12. "No Concept" featuring Yung MAC and LS - A fun song on here featuring Jin's other CraftyPlugz rosters. The concept is based off A Tribe Called Quest's classic, "Check the Rhime." Yung MAC and LS do well, although they are not as good as Jin. 8 out of 10

13. "Carpe Diem" - Jin's could-be second single. Like "G.O.L.D.E.N.", it's not my favorite song from the album. Basically, this is Jin's version of Kanye's "Touch the Sky." He does well, but it could have been better. 7.5 out of 10

14. "It's All Over" - This is my favorite song from the album. Jin shows his lyrical chops over a sick Golden Child beat. One might think Kanye produced it, meaning it's just that good. 10 out of 10

Overall, a great album from Jin. To the one reviewer who said that this new outlook for Jin is a gimmick, why can't an artist change his ways? This helps an artist grow into something much better. It won't sell even as much as his debut album(as of this writing, the album hasn't even cracked the Billboard 200). Techically, Jin's still under contract with Ruff Ryders/Virgin Records and they could demand another album from him. Hopefully, good word-of-mouth will happen with this album and Jin will find success down the road.

I've been a Jin (The Emcee) fan for a while ever since I've seen him freestyling on BET. I began to notice him after I realized that he can actually make meaningful songs. Okay let me get to the review. As soon as I started listening to the ALBUM I got hooked to it. It's amazing that Golden Child, a 16 YEAR OLD KID, from NY made all of the beats on the CD except the song "Perspectives." He brings you back to the time when Hip Hop was just about rapping not about the money and the fame. He can be a freestyle rapper, a song writer, and a conceptual writer at the same time. One of my favoriter songs on the cd is definitely "My First Time." Throughout the whole song reminisces about the "First time he wrote his 1st rhyme," but he makes it seems like he's rapping about the First time he had sex and if you don't listen to the whole song you won't get the concept. Another song that appeals to me is the song "G.O.L.D.E.N." He raps about the music these days and how the "Lyrics are wasted" since people only care about the beat of the song. Even though he rapping about rapping about songs being judged by the beats, his Producer Golden Child laced the track with a HOT BEAT that most listeners will like.

1. The Emcee (skit)
2. Perspectives 4/5
3. Top 5 (Dead or Alive) 5/5
4. Mr. Popular 5/5
5. My First Time 5/5
6. Propaganda Defined (skit)
7. Properganda 5/5
8. No More Fans 5/5
9. G.O.L.D.E.N. 5/5
10. Foolish Little Girls 5/5
11. The Craftiest (skit)
12. 100 Thousand Sold Pt. 2 4/5 (This song was too short)
13. No Concept 3/5
14. Carpe Diem 2/5
15. It's All Over 3/5

All I have to say is that you have to go out and buy this CD. This CD will make you realize that most of the listeners are being BrainWashed by all of the POPular music that is out there.

When I saw this album, I was curious to see what it was all about. I admit, I had very very low expectations after listening to that piece of garbage, "The Rest is History." I was proven wrong. This was Jin the MC, we all grew and loved from his 106 and Park Freestyle Friday battles. His rhymes were witty, cunning, and stimulating. And most importantly, NOT COMMERICAL POP RAP.

In my opinion, this album sounds more natural whereas his first album sounded very forced. Perspective and Top 5 are two very well done tracks. Great flow, intelligent rhymes...things that were lacking in The Rest is History. My First Time was witty...it had me thinking it was his first time, but it the first time he wrote a rhyme.

It's just too bad that he didn't do something like this in the first place...He definitely would had better sales figures. Hopefully, it's not too little, too late, since most people have written him off already. This album might not generate sales either but peple won't know what they're missing. This is what The Rest is History should've been.

I bought this cd about 2 or 3 weeks ago and everytime I pop it in the stereo, I listen to it all the way through. I have almost ended up listening to this cd everyday. I haven't done this since Jay-Z "The Blueprint". The Blueprint will always be quite possibly one of my favorite albums...but "The Emcees Properganda" is up there with it on my list.

Everytime I listen to this album I hear something new. When I heard two tracks before it came out, "Top 5" and "Carpe Diem", I just thought those would be the only tracks I'd be playing all the time because there's only a couple tracks off "The Rest is History" that I really liked. But, I got the album and listened to the whole thing through...which doesn't happen too much with some albums these days.

Golden Child produces hot beats for Jin and Jin kills it lyrically.

I know Jin had his "retirement" because he was sick of the industry, and I think I hear that in this album. Because like I said before, I hear something new everytime I listen to this album, and I hear him calling out alota things in acts today. i.e. on the track "G.O.L.D.E.N.", there's a couple lines that go "Wish I had the budget to get up with Just Blaze, prolly cost a couple grand just to use the phrase" and "I got love for the south they hold it down in game, but don't these crunk beats all sorta sound the same??". And whenever I hear things like this (Jin or not), I think "Yea that's exactly what's I'm thinking" and I like that.

It doesn't matter if you buy, copy, or download this album. Just listen to it!!! You won't be disappointed.

OVER THE YEARS I HAVE LISTENED TO MANY RAP ALBUMS AND I HAVE COME UP WITH THE SAME RESULTS. ALL OF THEM WERE CRAP BECAUSE THEY DIDNT HAVE A MESSAGE!!!!! I BECAME SICK OF RAP AND WAS CONSIDERING NEVER LISTENING TO IT AGAIN UNTIL A YOUNG EMCEE BY THE NAME OF JIN APPEARED ON 106 AND PARK AND I WAS BLOWN AWAY, AND EVER SINCE I HAVE LOVED RAP ONLY FROM JIN AND HAVE FOUND OUT THAT ITS NOT ALL CRAP ANYMORE, AND THE MESSAGES THAT JIN PRESENTS IN THIS ALBUM WILL STIMULATE YOUR MIND.....

The Emcee...ahem...Jin can't win for losing. In a matter of months we've seen the Asian rap superhero throw in the white flag with an early retirement, get knocked the fugg out at a Fight Klub battle and reclaim his freestyle battle crown, technically, at the recent Power Summit in the Bahamas. The source of Jin's recent stumbles, at least in the eyes of his supporters, detractors and those oblivious, is rather obvious. His debut album, The Rest is History, was wack. Licking his wounds, his latest independent endeavor, Emcee's Properganda (Draft/Craft Plugz), is everything his proper debut wasn't, slicker lyrics over knocking instrumentation. Senorita be damned.

Everyone's favorite rapper can spit. The deciding factor is weather beat accompaniment helps him merits return listens. Jin calls beats the "Fifth element" on "G.O.L.D.E.N." On Properganda new jack producer Golden provides all the tracks and proves to be Jin's lifeline. On "Top 5" Jin rides (pause) a hollow vocal lift snuggled by shuffling drum kicks and avoids controversy by name checking a gang of his favorite rappers, "Scarface ya minds playing tricks and illusions, Pharaoh Monche out to organize the confusion, trying to figure out this fly chick I discovered, at the same time Common said he used to say he love her, Buckshot with his camp click laced up his boots, big up to Black Thought, never forgot his Roots." On "Mr. Popular" he successfully adjusts the battle raps into a smooth song structure over thumping percussion and subtle keys. The only real suspect cut is "Carpe Diem" which suffers from a listless sitar that runs through the track. On the much too short "My First Time" he gets conceptual, recounting the first time he popped his cherry (pause), and wrote his first rhyme.

Jin's rhyme book is thick but and he used it to let you know he's still bitter at rap's largesse ("Perspectives", "Properganda"), wants women to respect themselves ("Foolish Little Girl") and wishes there were less wannabes ("No More Fans"). The stock angry rapper purist peeved at a jacked up Hip-Hop aesthetic is tiresome, though not without merit. But Jin has tried to refine his approach and make it easier to swallow (pause). However, since his fan base would be in agreement-forgive the forthcoming cliché-he's preaching to the choir. Then again that glorified coaster that was his freshman flop makes him need to endear himself to as many kindred, lyrical loving, and CD buying spirits as he can. After all, it isn't propaganda that battle money only lasts so long.

3.5 outta 5.

A good album with great beats and even greater lyrical content. Buy his cd.

This album is fire!

Unlike his debut album, Jin shows his real skills and what he likes to do in this album.....

The main theme of this album is to bring back real hip hop, and he clearly delivers the message with his great lyrics.

You should consider this album

Thank God he came back to his original roots or else this one would've have been a flop like his last one. Conscious lyrics by Jin and supreme beats by Golden Child make this one a killer album. Tracks like "Perspectives", "It's All Over" & "Properganda" tell you why Jin is one of hip-hop's dopest emcee's around. Pick this up if you're into real hip-hop.

Peace

As soon as you pop this CD in it's readily apparent what makes this album way better than his debut LP. Jin does what I was praying he'd do on his debut, he abandoned all gimmicks and relied upon pure skill. We already knew he was one of the first chinese-american rappers to blow, there was no need to drill the point home (which is what he did). There's no gimmicky lead single like "Learn Chinese" or wack skits like "Chinese Beats" on this album. Instead, Jin takes it back to what hip hop music is supposed to be; phat beats and dope rhymes. But despite the marked improvement of the MC, the producer can't be forgotten here either. The 15 year old Golden Child hit Jin with some dope beats. I was expecting some beats of a lower grade, but he's outproduced some of these grown super-producers in my opinion. The sky's the limit for this kid, and this album will only accelerate his ascension. His sound kind of reminds me of 9th Wonder with more funk and more variety on the drums. Bangers like "Top 5 (Dead or Alive), "Perspectives", "Properganda", and "No More Fans" all make this album worth checking out by themselves.

There aren't any wack joints on the album, but Jin's quest to save hip hop pretty much dominates the subject matter here. It can get a little tedious, but the album is still dope. Also, "No Concepts" and "Carpe Diem" could be classified as skip material. Beatwise, the only brick Golden Child drops is on "G.O.L.D.E.N.", but the lyrics are tight. The best material comes when they keep the beats raw and the rhymes tight.

The Emcee's Proper?ganda is definitely a worthy purchase. Not only did Jin drop the gimmicks, but he appears to have sharpened his skills and appears as hungry as ever. Golden Child is definitely the X Factor for this album. his production puts this one over the top and I'm looking forward to hearing more from him. I highly reccomend checking this one out. Two thumbs up.

Standout Tracks: Perspectives, Top 5 [Dead or Alive](My Favorite), Mr. Popular, Foolish Little Girls, It's All Over, My First Time, and 100 Thousand Sold