Customer Reviews

Genius

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

 

 

Kriss sophomore album is a solid 2nd effort throughout. I liked every song because they were clear and concise with their intent. Kriss lyrical content is on par with most well established rappers, but he mostly reminds me of Cee-lo with his ability to rap and sing which is clearly showcased on "misunderstood" which could give "crazy" by Cee-lo a run for the money, although in my opinion Kriss has more range than Cee-lo as far as throwing his voice and being able to change up his tonal style. The stand out songs on here for me are: misunderstood, doe doe, get off, chemical, back pack, and she'll do... If Kriss second album is an indicator for what's install with future albums, then, there is no doubt in my mind that the strange camp is holding it down for the MO...! Kriss Kaliko, pure genius indeed...

Krizz Kaliko does it once again in his second album here, Genius. He pulls out his one of a kind choir boy rap style lyrics with his sweet ass hip hop/R&B beats, but this guy doesnt just have his same old own beats, his beats are all produced and halfly made by tech n9ne. Tech also features in some of his music on this album, but on his first cd,Vitiligo, tech features in more of his music. there is no one that can top krizz kaliko and his genius music. I really reccomend this cd not just to tech n9ne fans and others in that category but to basically everyone. This guy has a style that everyone should hear cuz it is pretty damn unique.

Strange Music is back at it again. All the usual suspects: Kutt Calhoun and Tech N9ne bringing the flavor on Krizz Kaliko's latest Release. E-40 makes a special guest appearance on a track with Krizz, thats worth the price alone. You have to love the Title Track "Genius" and the Hit Single "Backpack", but every track is superb. If you've never heard a Krizz Kaliko solo album, this is the one to get. If it ain't good, it ain't Strange Music!

Outstanding, that's the first thing I could think when I listened to this. Being a super fan of Tech N9ne I wasn't sure at first if I could adapt to his style but after listening to each track and paying attention it dug deep down and now I play it constantly.

I'll briefly review each track for anyone who likes that kind of full preview, besides the short intro / outro.

Chip On My Shoulder - Sort of an extension of the intro, it has a kind of morbid dramatic feeling to it. There is a beautiful female singer who handles the chorus but Krizz hits hard with some fast rap here to kind of present himself and touch on all of the points he'll make throughout the album. Really interesting and unique plus it gets you built up for what is to come.

Genius - This one is more rap but it has an operatic kind of vibe, this seems to be the more egotistical aspect of Kaliko where he's obviously proud of the album. It mixes some of the comedic elements in too where he changes up his voice and has some popular culture references tossed in. Solid track.

Back Pack - Would fit perfectly in most clubs. It's mostly funny but has a very unique twist on the typical song about hot women, presented in lots of school metaphors. Has a great beat and you can't help but want to bump it while driving.

Doe Doe - This is probably my least favorite because it's kind of repetitive but it once again has an awesome beat. It's one of those songs that describes it's own dance which of course is going to be quite strange coming from Big Krizz.

Get Off - Suprised the hell out of me at this point. It's very much modern R&B, featuring really great singing from both Kaliko and Tech N9ne. You wouldn't even expect something like this but they pull it off perfectly. It's also one of the longer tracks.

Butt Naked Fun - Pretty self explanatory. Seems like an extension of Get Off in some ways but it's all Kaliko which just goes to show he really could pursue multiple styles of music and be successful anywhere. It's higher pitched which I would only want to hear every so often, but very good and nice change of pace to the modern mainstream.

Getcha Life Right - My favorite track on the CD. It comes in a three part session starting with Krizz, then Snug Brim and finally Skatterman who I usually don't like as much but they all do a great job. It has thug angles to it but not the way it's usually represented. They talk about how they do whatever it takes to stay above water and is easy to relate to. Also the chorus has a kind of inspirational feeling to it.

Love You 2 Death - The scary element finally shows it's face here. It's a very well written song about being obsessed with someone and presents the whole topic with complete honesty. It seems like he'd be more worried to paint himself that way but it goes to show the originality here.

Misunderstood - Most popular track so far, it combines jazz with some light rap and makes a good message about being dedicated to someone amidst personal problems. Could easily recieve radio play if people are able to appreciate the stylishness.

Bi-Polar - Pretty heart breaking track about his own experiences of being bi-polar. Anyone who has had mental anguish and felt like life was impossible would relate to this song but to a lot of people it may seem too dark. This comes a close second to me because it's just so pure and it doesn't flinch in it's message.

Dead Wrong - An odd shorter track that is still pretty damn good. Makes a good transition to the last section of the CD and to me it's necessary; otherwise it would be hard to follow up on Bi-Polar with something completely different. Once again it helps to amp you up for the rest.

So High - Reminds me of rock mixed with old school rap, this is definitely an unforgettable song. It's really not about what you'd think and is another one that sounds great when cruising around the city at night. Would make a good party song as well. Also has both Tech N9ne and Kutt Calhoun, seemingly forming the Three Musketeers of Strange Music.

The Chemical - Now this one is really different. It is almost purely a rock song with a darker edge to it, confronting the problem of addiction to various things and how inescapable it can be sometimes. Makes me want to hear a full blown rock album and see how he would handle it. He does a little screaming during the chorus which works well.

She'll Do - Another comedy rap track, real good for parties but women may not take to it exactly. Describes that you don't need a super model to be pleased, once again a more self explanatory type of song.

Be Right Back - Awesome rap song about not taking disrespect lightly from anyone. Works for the vibe of moving on past someone putting you down, and again I think a lot of people could relate to the message given here. It also has a kind of stoccato rhythm which is very fresh compared to other songs I've heard lately.

Hum Drum - This is a light hearted song about missing someone who you're very into when they are away, and how great it is when they get back. Of course they describe it in a lot more detail than that but it's a funny song and has a reggae influence on it. Good addition.

Happy Birthday - More of a typical song but excellent for clubs and makes you want to dance with someone. Good beat and Tech N9ne does a hilarious section at the end simulating extreme drunkeness. This one had to grow on me but I like it a lot now.

Choir Boy - Interesting choice for the last real song on the CD. It goes back to his personal life and his deep desire to keep his soul clean. Has a heavy church choir style chorus line that is hard to shake. Not many people in the music industry would even consider doing a song like this.

Overall, it's the best CD I've gotten in a long time. If you like a wide variety of styles including rap then this is a definite purchase. Hope he gets enough attention cause it really deserves it.

This album is a success in every way imaginable. The lyrics are technical, catchy, memorable, well-paced and thoughtful. The same can be said of the intricate and addictive choruses. The music itself is immediately recognizable as the product of Strange Music productions, with Kali's own ear-challenging style of jazzy electronica amid beats all worthy of a number one spot on any hip hop chart. The guest spots are some of the best I've ever heard. There aren't people performing here for the mere sake of having their name on the album. You can certainly tell that each was hand selected and expected to bring talent on par with Krizz (take Tech's rap in Happy Birthday, for an example of what I mean).

If I have to point out the only small complaints I can think of where this album is concerned, I'd say that many listeners are likely to be turned off of the album, simply because it starts off with a skit instead of jumping directly into the goods. And I have to admit that, when I first saw the cover of this album, I was a bit worried about what awaited me as a listener. But both of these very minor gripes are evidently purposeful slaps in the face to the majority of music consumers who will judge this book by its cover or not make it beyond track one. And I say that, because those of us who've taken the time to take this album on in full have been rewarded with one of the best rap albums on the market.

Genius is not an album you should just consider buying. It is a MUST OWN release; an experience all true music fans should have. In short, if you've been looking for one of those rare albums where musical genius meets lyrical genius, then you need look no further. The title of this CD is not your average ego-stroking by an artist. The man has actually earned the right to call himself and his album 'GENIUS'. One need only listen to understand why.

what can i say. genius! only krizz kaliko cd i have heard or owned. but he is a great rapper and has a very good voice. i say krizz puts a new twist to rap that i havent heard from anyone. this cd has many good songs with some really crazy beats. love this cd!

I really loved Krizz Kaliko's debut album "Vitiligo." I thought that was one of the best CDs last year and showed Krizz could really shine all by himself. I thought the stories told on that album were deep and the whole album gave off that vibe of Krizz just being his own man. "Genius" continues that trend to an extent but I think it is held down by too many commercial tracks. Too many songs just sound like Krizz doing some club or party records and not really having a purpose or focus on it. Sure there was some of the same on the first CD, but this CD seems hindered much more by the abundance of those tracks.

Overall, I still like the CD a lot, but must say I was expecting more from Krizz's sophomore CD.

He did it again! Strange Music kat Krizz Kaliko delivers his sophomore album and in no way disappoints! A very solid album from intro to outro. Every song is good, although you might find favorites quickly you could listen to entire thing without hitting the next button. The songs only average about 2:30 minutes a song but there is there is a lot of diversity from slow R&B to super fast rapping and club banging anthems even a taste of some Metal/Rock on one track. If you're not feeling one song one day you might skip it but on some days you will be in the mood for other tracks. Overall one unique great album --5 Stars for sure!

I am not much of a rap fan, but I ran across this album when I heard "Misunderstood." That song had a great sound so I picked up the album. Ther is very good stuff on here, even for people that don't consider themselves fans of rap. The product review from amazon is quite accurate, there is all types of music on this album. "Get Off" is one of the smoothest songs I have heard in quite a while. Great product from Strange Mucis and Krizz Kaliko.

It is kind of hard to rate an album that is as eclectic as Genius is. I don't like every track, but the ones that I do (which is the vast majority of them) are at the level of greatness that you would expect from Strange Music (those familiar with the label know what I'm talking about). The album's production is top notch. Most importantly, Kaliko is one of the most talented individuals ever to be recorded, PERIOD. Don't sleep on this album!!!