Future Rhythm

Digital Underground | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 4, 1996)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Critique Records
• ASIN: B000003RAF
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #36,608 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Walk Real Kool

2. Glooty-Us-Maximus

3. Oregano Flow [Gumbo Soup Mix]

4. Fool Get a Clue

5. Rumpty Rump

6. Food Fight

7. Future Rhythm

8. Hokis Pokis (A Classic Case)

9. We Got More

10. Hella Bump

11. Stylin'

12. Midnite Snack

13. Oregano Flow [Hot Sauce Mix]

14. Want It All

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars They've Got More, March 3, 2001

By 

Leather Dinghy (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Future Rhythm (Audio CD)

Although Digital Underground's "Future Rhythm" was received with tepid critical reviews and has experienced little popular success, it has become one of my favorite hip-hop albums. Granted, the album, DU's fifth, continues the tradition of P-funk inspired beats and kinky, goofy lyrics, but the album is more consistent than even the classic "Sex Packets." The beats are spaced-out and quirky, zooming and bouncing from left to right, and the vocals assume a laid-back, sing-song style that rolls over these future rhythms. "We've Got More" may be the album's best song: Shock-G and guests The Loonies drolly chant over an infectious, Indian beat. Other highlights include "Organo Flow" and the goofy "Food Fight," appropriately featuring the flubbery voice of Del the Funky Homosapien. Most noticeably, the album lacks the burlesque party songs that comprise DU's biggest hits. There is no equivalent of "Doowatchalike," "The Humpty Dance," or "The Return of the Crazy One." While this may have translated into poor sales, the absence of such a song is not a detriment. On the contrary, the album has an integral mellow vibe that would have been otherwise disrupted. Though I hesitate to call an album "mature" when some of its notable topics are public nudity, food fights, and kinky sex, the tight production of "Future Rhythm" makes it an album as good, if not better than "Sex Packets." Maybe "Future Rhythm" was released at the wrong time in 1996 - at the height of gangster rap, and also the year another underrated, decidedly un-gangster album was released (Del's similarly titled "Future Development" ) - but it warrants a listen by any fan of Digital Underground's music.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars D.U.'s greatest album..., May 20, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Future Rhythm (Audio CD)

"Future Rhythm" still stands as digital underground's best album (which is saying a lot--they never put out a less than incredible album), as well as one of the most slept-on hiphop albums ever.

Shock-G (a.k.a. Humpty Hump, aka MC Blowfish, aka The Piano Man, aka Peanut Hakeem Anafu Washington...etc) reigns as the most multi-talented MC in hiphop history: he raps (as himself and numerous hilarious characters), he sings, he plays slick piano as The Piano Man ("Future Rhythm" esp. highlights his piano skills), he creates beats, and he draws (check out his artwork on the covers & in the liner notes of their albums, and go to ShockG.com to view his comic strip "*holes"... very hilarious stuff). Name another MC who can do all that... quick, you have 5 seconds... 5, 4, 3, 2, 1... see, you can't do it, BECAUSE NO OTHER MC CAN DO ALL THAT. Shock-Geesus reigns supreme...

In the early 90s, years before Dre was sporting Funkadelic shirts in his videos, digital underground brought P-Funk to the forefront of hiphop culture. With their brilliant usage of sampling, they reworked Parliament's "Let's Play House" into the smash hit "The Humpty Dance"... and created a new generation of funkateers. If it wasn't for digital underground, I wouldn't be the funkateer I am today...

Every hiphop enthusiast should own a copy of "Future Rhythm." Featuring slick rhymes & singing, synthesized electronic futuristic bumpin beats, a hilarious Money-B skit about Humpty's sister "Rumpty Rump," and a Del the Funky Homosapien cameo, this albums also stands as one of the greatest love-makin' albums of all time...

And if you've already got all of digital underground's mainstream releases, check out Money-B.com to get a copy of "The Lost Files"...

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Step Outside Of The Box {4.5 Stars}, September 6, 2006

By 

Norfeest "Yes Yes Y'all" (Washington DC USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Future Rhythm (Audio CD)

Some will say this is hip hop, but I think this kind of music borrows from too many genres (funk, hip hop, r&b, etc...) to fit into one box. This is what I would call a "fan album" and it may alienate the pop fans that fell in love with smash hits like "Humpty Dance", "Doowutchyalike" or "Kiss You Back". This album is a lot more stripped down and focused. There are plenty of bouncy, feel good tracks, but they're done in a more mellow, laid back way than their previous stuff. And even though this LP came out in '96, it still sounds fresh 10 years later.

As far as flaws, there are a few snoozers due the abundance of laid back cuts. The title track (Future Rhythm) is mellow and funky, but the lack of direction may have your head nodding -- as you fall asleep. The same could be said for "Hokis Pokis (A Classic Case)" and "Hella Bump". The rest of the album flows pretty well after you get past these snoozers.

Future Rhythm may be the least popular of the DU albums, but it's probably the most cohesive album in their catalogue and that makes for a real treat for their hardcore audience. If you're on the fence when it comes to DU, then you may want to pass on this and check for their earlier releases -- the funk may be too strong for you. If you're a fan this album should quickly be added to the collection. Two thumbs up.

Standout Tracks: Midnite Snack, Food Fight feat. Del The Funkee Homosapien, Oregano Flow [Gumbo Soup Mix], Glooty-Us-Mazimus (My Favorite), Want It All, Fool Get A Clue feat. The Black Spooks, We Got More feat. The Luniz, and Oregano Flow [Hot Sauce Mix], Walk Real Kool