Customer Reviews

Future Without a Past

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4 star:		(4)
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The first thing that'll hit you while listening to this album is the uniqueness of the three rappers (Dinco D, Charlie Brown, and Busta Rhymes) in both lyrical content and delivery. Many of the songs have a real point to them (such as "Just When You Thought it was Safe" and "Teachers Don't Teach us Nonsense") but are still lots of fun. Then there's Cutmonitor Milo, who does some of the most creative sampling I've ever heard, on "What's the Pinocchio's Theory?" there are bagpipes and dialougue samples from Disney's "Pinocchio". Then there's "Sound of the Zeekers @#^**?!" the ultimate example of how strange and far sampling can go: There are 10 rappers in this song, you keep hearing things that sound like a chorus but are never repeated, and the music changes somehow with each rapper's part; maybe an extra sound, beat, or sample. This album is rap at some of it's best, and a must have for Busta Rhymes fans.

An hour long c.d. that never gets tired, great routines, always on point back and forth delivery and creative production that makes the whole thing gel. It's a sort of loose concept album which follows LONS through a day in school. The opening track has a great feel with samples from the riot scene outside the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago, this is the "whole world is watching" bit.

Busta blew up but listen and see if he didn't work much better in the context of a group. At the time this dropped, it seemed like every week something new was coming out raising the bar for hip-hop, exciting times. Other classics of the same period would definitely include Gang Starr's Step in the Arena, Brand Nubian's All for One, Tribe's The Low End Theory, Diamond D's Stunts Blunts and Hip Hop, De La Soul is Dead, KMD's Mr. Hood and Cypress Hill's first one.

Classic timeless Hip Hop. An Essential acquisition for any true hip hop head/music fan.There isn't a single weak track on this album, all bangers that fit together perfectly to form an album that is greater than the sum of its parts(i.e. Yuh caaan skip nuh track). The production on this album by "The Leaders" and "The Bomb squad" is MindBlowinG and the three emcees from Strong island complement each other like thongs on big booties. I got this when it first came out and it still gets regular rotation to this day. I gotta say that the only thing better than L.O.N.S in your box is L.O.N.S on stage and since that ain't likely to happen any time soon I implore you to pick-up this gem from the Golden era of Hip Hop.

This album expresses true Hip Hop to the fullest.every track. Speechless I dont even know what to say about it. Plus you get to hear Busta Rhymes when he had skills & wasn't just a mumblin mumblin yellin' jerk. dont sleep! pick up this Classic!

I can't believe that "A Future Without a Past" is as unknown and underappreciated as it is. I can count on one hand the number of rap albums that are as consistently funny and entertaining as this one. This album is simply phenomenal throughout. The three MCs here are fantastic. Busta Rhymes would of course go on to be the quick-lipped apocalyptic mainstream MC, but here he is a hilarious, immature teen. Dinco Dean carries the weight as the one who gels Busta with the equally zany and funny Charlie Brown, whose yelling and chanting make him the one who really stands out. Cut Monitor Milo makes the beats, along with an assorted group of other producers, and raps on occasion. LONS are a joy to listen to because they celebrate youth, and are quite capable of tackling issues on the youth of the world amidst their crazy humor. The production is excellent, using samples and creative instrumentals to make a unique yet simple sound that doesn't sound slightly dated fifteen years later. I can't think of another group that has so much character and charisma. "A Future Without a Past" is a concept album that follows Busta, Dinco, and Charlie through a day at school. These guys have hysterical thoughts about the goings on at the high school, and I laugh frequently whenever I listen to this. This album is a must-have for any fans of 90s classic hip hop.

The skits are part of what make the concept work so well and make the album so much fun. Beginning with "Homeroom," which has the guys skirting into school amid some sort of riot, and the classic song "Case of the PTA" plays the school theme perfectly, poking fun at the school system over a legendary production with an infectious chorus. "Too Much on My Mind" allows the MCs to voice the problems of their teenage lives, with a horn-laden hook. "What's the Pinocchio's Theory?" is crazy and hilarious, anchored by Charlie Brown. Despite its standard fun, "Just When You Thought It Was Safe..." displays a social consciousness that only the best MCs had in 1991. After a visit to the "Lunchroom" is the incredible "Sound of the Zeekers," a crazy song with multiple guest rappers. "Sobb Story" is great, and "Feminine Fatt" is a funny song where Busta speaks happily of heavyset women. I love "Transformers," and "Afterschool" the LONS ask for role models on "Show Me a Hero." "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles" is infectious and fast, as is the well-produced and executed "International Zone Coaster." The self explanatory "Teachers, Don't Teach Us Nonsense" precedes Busta's hilarious "My Dingaling." The album closes with the perfect "Where Do We Go From Here?"

For as much success as Busta Rhymes would later find, in my opinion this is by far his greatest accomplishment. "A Future Without a Past" is amazing. It's unbelievably funny, musically catchy, and simply entertaining as the best hip hop is. Fans of A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, and even Brand Nubian or Wu-Tang should pick this up without thinking twice, and they will see that LONS are a group as unique and enjoyable as any. This is an album that never received its due respect but is a must-have for any hip hop fan.

leaders of the new school first album is a true classic. old school 90's masterpiece. what i love about the album is the jazzy theme to it. how they combine jazz with hip hop. it kind of remind you of pete rock and gang starr. i love the horns and piano. case of the pta. a excellent track with piano loops. i love everything about that track. sound of the zeekers. another wonderful brillant track. i love the trumpets and how each beat changes. then the 10 rappers make it even better. sobb story a truly classic old school track with piano and jazz loops. i love it. track 9, all i can say is great, so great. with jazz loops. show me a hero, i absolutely admire that track, one of my favorites. track 13, great. the international zone coaster. i love the piano loops. a well thought up track with it's uniqueness. i love it. track 15, jazz loops play well on this classic, one of they best tracks. then the beat switches up. track 16 another great deal track. then track 17 ends the album off well. too bad hip hop changed for the worst. you don't find to many albums that's great like this one. it's even a little better than the second album, which was a classic too. the jazzy loops, the lyrics, all of it is great. tracks that i didn't mention that is also nice is track 3,4,5, and 10. so in all buy the doggone thing. trust me you're be completely satisfied.favorites, all but if had to pick i say track 7, then track 2, then track 15.

This debut album from LOTNS is a truly innovative classic. It's different from their very popular sophmore effort, but in a good way.

In 1991, Hip Hop was being transformed and the Leaders were a pivotal part of this tranformation. While the production isn't particularly ahead of it's time, the way Busta, Dinco and Charlie B flow is very interesting. Each m.c matches the beat perfectly with their flow, often interupting their humorous lyrics with growls and yells. The school theme is very apparent, especially since all 3 of the members were about 18 when this album dropped.

The beats themselves are funky (but not heavy funk like EPMD) and light. You basically get a little bass loop with some upbeat keys over it. Very 90s sounding, simple and to the point.

If you're into golden era hip hop, you'll love this.

Stand Out Tracks:

Case Of The P.T.A
Sound Of the Zeakers
Show Me A Hero
Sobb Story
Pinnochios Theory

Charlie Brown & Busta were the stars of LONS. My beef is Charlie could have been as big as Busta. I'm not sure what happened but C Brown was a star.

Top Joints
Zone Coaster
Zeekers
Case of the PTA
Transformer
Sobb Story

but I do hope for another creative HIP-HOP explosion that LONS were part of from '88 to '96.

Fun and creative is what most people wrote about this. I would say they are about . . . 100% right. I, also, wondered what happened to the trio since this album was so original.

I came to watch a documentary on the group or Busta Rhymes on MTV or Vh1 about 2 years ago. If you noticed it, Q-tip said that there was eerie feeling when LONS would be rapping. ' a very competitive, or extremely competitive spirit between them.

I think it was just strife or over the top competition that drove them apart.

Besides that, the samples, beats, and rapping flows(or styles) all flowed into one unit . . . for each and every song.

' a good album. ' a classic? . . . Well, we will see in about 40 years.

later,

you know, i loved LONS. some i know say this here i wack. what i hear though is hip hop with a bit of a twist. i love especially CASE OF THE PTA, FEMININE FATT, SOBB STORY, INTERNATIONAL ZONE COASTER, SOUND OF THE ZEEKERS, and WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE. i wore this out when i had it. if you are into finding that good ole hip hop stuff, this is fo ya.