Customer Reviews

Future Rhythm

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

"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"...

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

This album takes hip hop and funk to a whole new level,the lyrics are all very well laid down there comical,make sense,fun and plain dope!the beats are also crazy they have all kinds of nutty beats that provide tight soundscapes for the wacky lyrics,this album also features a bunch of other great bay area hip hop artists such as Del the funky homosapien and the Luniz.

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

DU has always been my favorite rap act. I long ago grew bored with hip-hop and soapbox posturing about hos and bling and all that.
That being said, this is a genius album from a rap connoiseur's rap group. Probably better even than Sex Packets, which is a mighty bold statement. This is your standard DU mix of social commentary and gleeful irreverance, but this one was a little better than the rest. The beats are innovative and orignal. We Got More and Hella Bump being extremely unconventional, fusing in Middle Eastern influences. There's only one track I skip on the whole CD and that's after years of listening to it. Amazing. I have no idea how this managed to stay out of the mainstream. Could be it didn't toe the line when compared to all the ultra-conformist formula rap that was out at the time. If you are a DU fan of even modest proportions you should pick this up.

I have been a digital underground fan since Sex Packets came out almost 15 years ago. I have all their albums, including Lost Files.

That said, this is not only DU's best album *by far*, it's also one of the great hiphop albums of all time.

Rather than relying heavily on samples, most of Future Rhythm is strictly DU's creation. Shock G's keyboard work can be found throughout the album, most especially on the instrumentals "Hokis Pokis" and "Midnite Snack." His electric synthesizer has a futuristic, jazz fusion sound. He really hits some seriously funky, slurring notes.

"Gluteus-Maximus" and "Hella Bump" are funky jams. "Stylin" has some of Shock's most soulful rapping and lyrics: "Like Billie Holiday I got a thang for them dope notes, singin makin words swing slangin soul like Po Folks -- I'm stayin away from all the overworked notes, Im missin em like prostitutes in heels & fur coats..." "Food Fight" is a collaboration between Del and Humpty. "Rumpty Rump" is a hysterical skit featuring Money-B telling Shock over the answer machine they need to get a girl in the band with a big fake plastic booty and call her Rumpty Rump. "Want it All" is their most transcendent & joyous song ever. They got the yes-saying spirit, they want to experience everything life has to offer.

If you want some current DU, check out Cypher 7's "Has Not Been Diluted" EP, which has Shock G production, and Murs' song "Risky Business" which has a Humpty cameo. And check out Shock-G.com for Shock's crazy cartoons...

Although this probaly is the weakest release to come out of the Digital Underground camp, by hip-hop standerds "Futur Rythem" is still a mind-boggleing mix of humor and talent. Digital comes on stron with the first track "Walk Real Cool," I dare you to listed to this track without wanting to hear it again. The same can be said for the first half of the album with highlights like the bumpin' "Glooty-us-Maxims" and the simply hilarious "Food Fight" The second half of the album , with the exception of that last song "I Want It All" a track is one of DU's best, lags a little (by DU standerds)but still puts 90% of the rap on todays charts to shame. Shock-G and Money B still remain the driving force of Digital Underground's near perfect funk and are without a the doubt overlooked geunisis of the rap game. If you only know DU from "The Humpty Dance" pick this up Both "Futier Rythem" (or better yet for begginer's the Sgt. Pepper of rap albums "The Body Hat Syndrome") and all of their other albums should hold a place in self-respecting hip-hop/rap fans collection.

... and they won't know what to think. This record is so far ahead of its time that audiences were confounded, which is a shame: it's one of the best hip-hop releases of all time. Far outstripping earlier efforts, this time DU put it all together into a sonic mesh that truly feels like the future of the funk. The rest of the world will catch up in about 2005...

this is your hip hop fix....it's everything you want...real blunted.....silly, mad hip hop.....i'm not gonna get all academic in this piece, lord knows i've done that to death...but after listening to this slept on d.u. album...that would be in very poor taste..beats for days...give it a listen....I love the song want it all--a jeremiad to duality....describes how we all feel sometimes(at least me)