Customer Reviews

Funky Technician

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Album: Funky Technician
Artist: Lord Finesse
Label: Wild Pitch
Year: 1990

The funky technician, Lord Finesse is one of the most underrated rappers ever. A legend of underground rap, Lord Finesse did not get much commercial success. He had a legion of dedicated fans but aside from that, word about him went from person to person. A member of Diggin' In The Crates [DITC], he managed to change underground rap. He even introduced Big L, the Harlem legend to the rap scene. He achieved great underground status and secured his spot as one of those, unheard of legends.
This album is on point. Finesse comes with sick lines although they don't really hit the leisurely listener. One has to be on the look out for the lines, which just pop out in the midst of a song. His delivery may be difficult to get into, but it is because of this uniqueness that separates him from other rappers. His funky flow is matched only by the words that come out of his mouth. It's as though he is simply freestyling through out the entire album.
The guest appearances fit perfectly. Andre the Giant [AG] and Finesse make a deadly combination. According to legend, Andre the Giant was the only man to come close to defeating Finesse in a head to head battle. It's not hard to see because he comes correct although Finesse tends to dominate the tracks. Chocolate, fits in perfectly with Finesse. Grandpa Finesse does his thing on the introduction and final track.
This album is dominated by the "slick brother with a fade and a half-moon" Never does he let the listener down. He says it best himself, "everyone, moving, but eager, to listen" The highlights to this terrific album are "Lesson To Be Taught" "Bad Mutha" "Track the Movement" and "Back to Back Rhyming" But in all of his songs he comes correct, never letting the listener down.

Lord Finesse's Theme Song - Grandpa Finesse simply introduces the funky technician, the bad mutha, the slick brother with a fade and a half moon and Lord Finesse

Baby, You Nasty - A dope track! Starts off with great lyricism, which sets up the listener for something great in the album. His flow just keeps going and going. His delivery may seem a little high but the listener immediately get used to it. This track is a boastful one. He talks about how great he is in the most creative ways possible
"Lord Finesse is the brother that you have to hear
I flow smooth like clouds in the atmosphere"

Funky Technician - The most honest track. The funky technician raps about so many different things on this one track. He is, again, boastful but that just adds to the track. His funkiness is incredible. He is probably one of the funkiest artists around, along with Main Source.
"Lord Finesse in effect cause I rhyme hard
Look good flow smooth yeah the whole nine yard"

Back To Back Rhyming - Finesse speeds up his pace on this track. Andre the Giant showcases his skills for the first time. He too, has amazing lyricism. Together, they make a stunning combination. It's no surprise that this cat came close to Lord Finesse. Lord Finesse still dominates the track though. The production is nice on this but some of the sampling was a bit off."
"Now when it comes to rhymes, I'll drop a swift one
I'm the rap senator, ake about ten of ya"

Here I Come - The ultimate introduction. He shows all the new rappers that even though he has been around longer; he still hasn't lost his touch. He drops the truth about himself on this incredible track. He never seems to tire
"Lord Finesse is the brother who's talking
And this is somethin funky to pump in your walkman"

Slave To My Soundwave - Finesse is more aggressive on this track. Finesse is extremely different on this track. This is the only time he takes this aggressive stance on the album. The sampling on this song works quite well.
"Hear the crowd, and get the stage set
You still got time, so put a tape in your tape deck"

I Keep The Crowd Listening - This is no lie. With his incredible flow and unique delivery this is exactly what he does. There is a bit of sampling on this track but it is on point.
"Alright, let me kick this fly intro
Somethin that's smooth but quite simple"

Bad Mutha - He proves his point. He is the bad mutha. Another boastful track. His skills are undeniable. He keeps the track smooth and slow. His diversity is very different from the rest of DITC. He has his way with the mic, there is no denying it. The production is very nice on this album
"Turn up the radio, better yet the phonograph
And I'ma school the suckers who don't know the half"

Keep It Flowing - Andre the Giant is on top form on this track. He and Finesse completely rip apart the track, top to bottom. They completely tear it to shreds. This is one of the greatest tracks on the album. Production is perfect and everything works together.
"A man thought he could test me and possess a better skill
His man shook his head and his mother said "You'd better chill""

Lesson To Be Taught - On this track Finesse chooses to educate the youngsters on the things to watch out for in life. This is easily the best track on the album. Finesse drops some major knowledge on this track. The lyrics are timeless.
"Here we go, so pay attention to the teacher
Here to preach a lesson to reach ya"

Just A Little Something - Another fast paced song. The funky technician keeps going and going with some great lyricism. The production of the track matches his spectacular lyrics, courtesy of Showbiz
"Now I'm the constabulary, great in vocabulary
I'm no joke, when up against any adversary"

Strictly For The Ladies - Self-explanatory. This track is strictly for the ladies. He talks about basically how many girls he gets and how they can chill together. This track is basically explaining himself to the ladies
"This is strictly for the ladies, no ifs ands or maybes
We can chill together but hold on the babies"

Track The Movement - The perfect ending to a classic album. This track is laid back and mellow. He keeps this track even and drops some of his best lyrics. After a wrap-up such as this, there is no denying his talent.
"Finesse, now I'm smooth sensational
Educational, here to awaken you"

The production on this album is fabulous. The album was produced by DJ Premier, Diamond D, Showbiz and, of course, Mike Smooth. It can't possibly go wrong with some of the best producers. The combination of the excellent production with Lord Finesse is tremendous.
This slept on album is one of the finest to come out of the Bronx area. This is a classic underground album. Finesse is unstoppable. There are no weak points to this masterpiece.
Rating: 5/5

Quite simply one of the greatest Hip-Hop albums ever released! Lord Finesse proves he is one of the greatest lyricists and this is complimented by an awesome flow. Best tracks on the album are Baby, You Nasty, Strictly for the Ladies and Back to Back Rhyming which has a great verse by A.G. You simply must own this album.

You would think that since the album came out in '89 lyrical he would sound common, but he flows better than rappers today. The beats are striaght, but his lyrics gives him 5 mic. From 88-95 rap was on the rise and now it just suck. But not da Lord. He's worth checking

Founder of the phenomenal Diggin' In The Crates Crew (D.I.T.C.), Lord Finesse will arguably be the sickest punch line emcee you will ever hear. In my opinion, no emcee can match Finesse's microphone dexterity. No emcee can match his lyrical endurance. And I dare you to find an emcee with superior wordplay. No, you've never quite heard an emcee lace a beat quite like Finesse. The only comparable emcees in terms of skill would be Rakim & Big Daddy Kane. His multi-syllable verses are among the elite. A hip-hop head not owning this classic album is like an R&B fan not owning Marvin Gaye "What's Going On".

Finesse & DJ Mike Smooth signed to the legendary Wild Pitch Records in 1989, and in 1990 they dropped "Funky Technician" on the scene like a ton of bricks. The producer lineup is ill - DJ Premier, Diamond D, Showbiz, and of course the scathing DJ Mike Smooth.

This album is a wildly boisterous and exciting ride. It doesn't creep up on the serious tip in the least really. This duo is about dope beats & ill rhymes. And very few duos can execute this somewhat narrow spectrum with such vivid success. Tracks like "Funky Technician", "Back to Back Rhyming" featuring A.G., "Bud Mutha", "Just a Little Something" are just a few examples of the perfection these guys have to offer. There isn't a wack track in the bunch.

Despite the stellar lineup of talent, this album never received the respect it's due. In which case, it remains wholly underrated. And to the unconverted, without a question, you need this in your collection as soon as humanly possible.

Lord Finesse, the funky brother, has to be one of New York's most criminally slept-on & un-appreciated artists to ever come up. The DITC legend has been going for round about 13-14 years and STILL he does not get the props and recognition he deserves. 3 classic LP's and a notable remix album, Lord Finesse is straight consistency, I guarantee you'll never hear a weak verse. Although it is debated that yeh Lord Finesse does lack the complexity and the ability to switch up the speed of his flow like others, it can not be argued that his funky, double-rhyming style is next to none! when he starts to talk, any true hiphop fan knows what they're in for...
"Funky Technician" being Lord Finesse's debut is an absolute timeless classic. Released in 1990, originally, it sounds as fresh as fresh can get. With the seemingly endless use of funk-legend samples, like James Brown, the beats are the most notable significance of the album. Well what do you expect? Hip Hop LEGENDS; DJ Premier, Diamond D, Showbiz & Mike Smooth handle the production (Yes, and you slept on this?!)and produce some of their best work yet, if not THE best. The relationship between Lord Finesse and the flawless production, is unexplainable. They suit perfectly, I don't think they could have created a better sound.

There are 12 full-length tracks and 1 skit (the intro) on here, and not one single track can be dubbed "weak" or even "average". Every one is likely to BLOW YOUR MIND!

1. Intro (the intro to the funk, prepare yourself)

2. Baby You Nasty (produced by premo), is one of Lord Finesse's most recognised songs, with Finesse talkin' about just why he is the man, and the funky technician.

3. "Funky Technician" is my personal favourite, with Diamond flippin' one of my favourite samples of all time (also used on Das Efx's - They Want efx & others). Similarly, you can bet lord finesse is untouchable here. CLASSIC, peep it and you'll see.

4."Back To Back Rhyming" (Produced by Showbiz) features fellow DITC legend AG. The charisma and chemistry demonstarted by both MC's on this track is just phenomenal, a boom-bap classic.

5. "Here I Come" (Produced by Diamond) is straight FUNK, with finesse rippin' it over one of the most laid-back and jazzy beats on the album. With James brown on the cut, you know what's up...

6."Slave to my soundwave" (produced by Mike Smooth)is the most up-tempo track on the album. With finesse speeding up a little bit accordingly. flawless.

7. "I Keep The Crowd listening" (Produced by Diamond) is also one of the more laid back tracks, with Rakim on the cut.

8. "Bad Mutha" (produced by Diamond) uses one of James Brown's most famous and memorable samples (check Nas-Get Down). "I don't front and pretend cause thats imaginary, I get funkay with the use of vocabularly...". Enuff Said

9. "Keep It Flowing" (Produced by Premo), again features DITC affiliate AG. HARDCORE FUNK, more uptempo, AG & finesse demonstrate how it's meant to be done, prepare to be captivated.

10. "Lesson to be taught" (produced by premo) has a very "charming" vibe about it. With finesse droppin' knowledge about the importance of school, and the alternative route you can take. peep.

11. "Just a little something" (produced by Showbiz), as the name implies this is the shortest track, with only one verse and then finesse shoutin' out to those he holds dearest

12. "Strictly for the ladies" (produced by premo). 3 words - OH MY GOD! One of premo's best beats, check the vibe! Symbols, heavy bass and a ridiculous sample is what your brain will endure. Prepare for the ride...CLASSIC "Now girls step up to this"

13. "Track the movement" (produced by Premo)veryyy jazzzzy. One of the album's most satisfying tracks, with the beat switching up from time to time. Premo lays the foundation for finesse to kick the knowledge before the end of one of the best debuts, ever.

If you still haven't heard this, HURRY UP! 16 years is better than never, and get ready for one of the most charismatic, funky and hardcore hiphop albums you will ever have laid your hands on. Please do not sleep any longer. PEACE!

Lyrics - 10/10
Beats - 10/10
Originality - 10/10
Replay Value - 10/10

If you found this helpful, check my other reviews!

Funky Technician (Wild Pitch 1990)

In the early 90's, Lord Finesse was the freestyleking of New York, and for those of you been around for awhile, you might remember his legendary acappella verse from New Music Seminar, where he dissed Mr. Funkyman from Lords of the Underground (Lord Finesse was namely the original 'Funky Man'.) Already in 1990 he debuted with this great record, Funky Technician. It didn't became an instant classic, but in later years it has slowly appeared to that status, at least in my ears.

With production from Diamond D, DJ Premier and Showbiz, plus a featuring by A.G., this was kind of a D.I.T.C.-record, and the first one too. Everyone were fresh this time, but there's something' very refreshing `bout the simpleness here. Primo's beats was the most impressive, both him and Diamond used many well known samples, especially James Brown, which was used a lot during this timeperiod, and there's actually two samples from the music to the movie Black Ceasar. DJ Mike Smooth also produced a great song, if you if look at the cover, you'll actually see that Finesse and Mike Smooth where a duo that time. As a DJ, he was a part of the group (like Eric B. & Rakim, Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock etc. etc.) When it comes to the rappin', it was simple but entertaining, and Lord Finesse's strength has always been punchlines. He was a "slick brother with a face and a half moon", and he could really spit. There's no more hocuspocus than that, this was before the gimmicks took over.

Funky Technician are recommend for all true fans of hip-hop. Not every track here's a classic, but check out "Back To Back Rhyming" and "Keep It Flowing" they still sound as funky today as they did 16 years ago. Show this Bronx-rapper some love and buy a "forgotten" classic.

Alright 1st off... DJ Premier, Diamond D, Showbiz, & of course Mike Smooth handle all the beats! If this were only an instrumental record you should've bought this by now. Lord Finesse came correct!!! His punchlines are extremely tight and his perspectives stand-out. Even if you're a hard to please head, I'm confident that you'll find this LP to fit your criteria for classic status. If you don't already have this, by all means get it whenever you come across this. If you do infact own a copy, re-discover its purity as a Hip Hop album for the ages. Peace!

THIS IS ONE OF THOSE TIMELESS JOINTS FROM ONE OF HIP-HOP'S FINEST
LYRICISTS. DITC VET, LORD FINESSE AT HIS FINEST! ONE OF THE NICEST
KIDS WITH BACK-TO-BACK PUNCHLINE RHYMES THAT WILL HAVE YOU BREAKIN
YOUR NECK, HOLLERIN' "DAMN!" -AND LAUGHING YOUR BUTT OFF ALL AT THE SAME TIME!

R.I.P. BIG L !!

This album is legendary, and for good reason. This was made back when hip-hop was fun, and there was no pressure on Lord Finesse to produce a hot album. Finnesse doesn't kick anything new on the mic; the producers are the real treat here: 5 Dj Premier tracks, 4 Diamond D joints (which are all James Brown influenced), 2 Showbiz tracks, and one suprisingly good Mike Smooth beat. This album never gets old for me.

Using the sole ingredients of original hip hop records: lyrics and beats the "Funky Technician" is one of the best classics you can find. Lord Finesse (probably the one of the best and highly under-rated lyricist) laces just about every track (13 tracks in all) on the record with at least 3 verses of true clear speaking metaphors, similes, and punch lines. Finesse's lyrics go perfectly with the hard bass lines and commonly used James Brown samples provide by DJ Mike Smooth. The subject matter is mainly made up of Finesse bragging about is skills as a MC with lines such as " My rhymes are fresher that a virgin in a refrigerator" and many more hot ones. If you like true lyrist hip hop in its original form this is the album for you.

Erik Skannal Montclair, NJ