Customer Reviews

Heavy Rhyme Experience 1

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I heard this record as a promo cassette when it first came out in the early 90s -- I was in college and was pretty immersed in hip-hop, and I noticed how innovative it was at the time, putting respected MCs together with live funk instrumentation instead of samples. I believe the Heavies are/were a British combo; the MCs who appear on the record are a cross-section of mostly American lyrical heavy hitters. There's Guru of Gangstarr, the Pharcyde, Masta Ace, Kool G Rap, and others.

What's really cool about this record is that it not only has a good concept, but the concept was actually executed with skills and integrity. The Heavies are crisp, tight funk players, and they construct good grooves. Many of the backing tracks would probably have gotten sampled by MCs if they had appeared in a non-rap context.

Best cut is probably Kool G Rap's driving, rugged "Death Threat"; you'll be surprised how hard G Rap remains over the live band. "You think you're down with the murder guys? /...-- say hello to the dirt you're gonna fertilize." Also great are Main Source's "Bonafied Funk" (nice Large Professor involvement), and Guru's sinuous "It's Getting Hectic." The loose, celebratory Pharcyde track is also a lot of fun, and I have a weakness for "Jump and Move," by some Jamaican guy whose name escapes me, an agile dancehall/toasting track.

Overall, this stood for me as the best "live" rap release that I knew of until Philadelphia's The Roots, an MCs-and-band unit, put out their landmark LP "Do You Want More?!???!!?" in '94. This album is well worth buying. One of the earlier reviewers was right to say that it might not totally grab you on first listen, but if you give it a few more listens, it opens up and proves to have serious legs.

This CD is one of my top 10 (perhaps five) out of a 400+ collection. If you're looking for "crisp" drum/bass/guitar work (tight, as another reviewer called it), it's here (much like CCR is crisp, and uncluttered -- although this is a different style, of course). The rapping is superb, with clever, often hilarious lyrics. You can HEAR how much the musicians and vocalists were enjoying themselves. I've looked for other live jazz rap collaborations, but they don't seem to be plentiful. Guru's Jazzmatazz is okay, but he overdoes it a bit. I'm not too crazy about other BNH stuff I've heard, but this is beautiful work by the trio (and their guest rappers).

i got this cd some years ago as a present to myself for a small job i got working at work. i fell in love instantly, and really listened to this a lot. i'm a huge fan of the brand new heavies, who really bring such a soulful sound to everything they do. and i'm a big fan of old school rap and hip hop, including many of the artists featured on this cd. personally, i think this is a mix made in heaven. i expect that many of you who enjoy the good sounds of funky and old school hip hop will enjoy this, too. its not much like the rest of the BNH stuff, so don't go in expecting a typical sound from them. however, do go in expecting some of the best soul and funk based hip hop to hit you.

Own this album! This is one of the best CDs I've ever owned, and one of the best hip-hop CDs of all-time. I can't say it enough -- buy this CD, you can't be dissapointed. Super funky English acid-jazz band at their peak and dope MCs, but all organic and stripped down.

Even though you may not like this record too much the first couple of times listenin' to it you will gonna love it later. The sound is phat and quite diverse. This record introduced me to the pharcyde back in '96... But now my favourite song is Death Threat (w/ Kool G Rap). The "dark" bass and the fenders combined with Kool G's agressive lyrics will make you demanding for more! Also the two "dancehall"-tracks (w/Jamalski and Tiger respectively) are massive. Definitely one of those ten records to take onto the deserted island...

Not too often, we hear bands colab with many hip hop artists. On albums like Heavy Rhyme Experience, we get a blend of instuments with some astounding vocals to come together on to one album. Brand New Heavies, I've only heard of them once which was on a song with The Main Source, which appears on this album. To be honest, I really don't know too much about this group, except N'Dea Davenport (ATL baby!) was in the group, and later left, and then rejoined. But outside of that information, that's all I know about the group.

Here on this album, Brand New Heavies, bring in some popular artists that were peaking around 1991/1992. Artists like Guru, Black Sheep, Masta Ace, and others bring their A game to this album. "Bonafied Funk" with The Main Source, already appears on their Breaking Atoms if you have any of the reissues. Guru from Gangstarr drops in for the solid "It's Getting Hectic". Grand Puba colabs for the nice "Who Makes The Loot" which appears on his Reel to Reel. My most favorited track is the next one, Masta Ace's colab "Wake Me When I'm Dead", about artists crossing over in hip hop. The next track, "Jump 'n' Move" with Jamalski, has a reggae bouncy touch which sounds okay. Another standout would be the colab with Kool G. Rap with "Death Threat" which is amazing. The Black Sheep colab track "State Of Yo" is another banger that is highly enjoyable. Ed O.G. drops in for the solid "Do What I Gotta Do" track. The next track is the Tiger colab with "Whatgabouthat" which it depends on what mood I'm in on where I like that song or not. The final track is The Pharcyde colab "Soul Flower" with is good, but doesn't match the remix which appears on Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde.

Overall a great album. Most of the colabs I'm feeling with the live sounding instruments. This is one of those albums that you can vibe to real easily. With only 10 tracks, clocking at 35 minutes, this album may feel a little short sounding, but it does quickly get to the point. Fans of live sounding music will like this one. It does have a little crossover appeal to it, but it still keeps it place in the acid jazz and hip hop areas. This is one I recommend you check out, especially if you're a fan of anyone who appears on this album.

Lyrics: A-
Production: A+
Guest Appearances: B
Musical Vibes: A-

Top 5 Tracks:
1. Wake Me When I'm Dead (with Masta Ace)
2. Death Threat (with Kool G. Rap)
3. Who Makes The Loot (with Grand Puba)
4. State Of Yo (with Black Sheep)
5. It's Getting Hectic (with Guru)

Let me first say that with a few exceptions like Us3, Digable Planets and the Beastie Boys from Check Your Head forward, I am certainly NOT a fan of rap. But what those artists all have in common is a decidedly funk, soul and/or jazz groove rather than a contemporary urban R&B sound. And so it is with this album, where various American old-school rap artists - this album was recorded in 1991, after all - rhyme to tracks laid down by the London-based acid-jazz/rare-groove legends The Brand New Heavies. Rather than relying on processed beats and looped samples, the Heavies provide the MCs with genuine instrumental tracks with enough funk to get all but the comatose up out of their chairs. The tempo varies from slow-and-low grind-funk as in the opening track "Bonafide Funk" featuring Main Source and "It's Getting Hectic" featuring Gang Starr to driving dance-club beats as in "Soul Flower" featuring The Pharcyde and "Jump n' Move" featuring Jamalski (recently used in a trailer for the animated penguin movie "Happy Feet"). Regardless of pace, the Heavies infuse each song with deep basslines, rump-movin' funk-syncopated rhythms and infectious guitar hooks with liberal use of the wah-wah pedal.

The album has some minor weaknesses, in particular the sped-up, repetitive and insufferably grating vocal samples laid over "Do What I Gotta Do" with Ed O.G. But any weaknesses are superficial blemishes on the otherwise flawless musical foundation beneath each track.

This album should be on every Top 100 Hip-Hop Albums of All Time list. Its lack of widespread critical recognition much less commercial success is practically a crime.

IMHO, one of the great albums of all time.

Fantastic rhymes from 10 different lyricists (many of them some of the great names in underground/not-so-underground hip-hop of the era), over the Heavies' great vintage-instrument-influenced grooves.

Hip-hop records from the mid-80s through the early-90s have an organic production quality that is generally missing from the more slicked-out productions of today (which is not to say that hip-hop today ALWAYS feels inorganic). To me, what is significant about "Heavy Rhyme Experience, Vol. 1" is that the music has that same organic feeling, but none of the music is sampled. Certainly it is influenced by James Brown, The Meters, the Mizells, etc. (who of course were the same artists being sampled in hip-hop around that time), but all the music is written and performed by the Heavies and the guest rappers. And cleverly, too! The subtleties of the compositions still knock me out 15 years later--the Heavies' understated variations on the repetitive grooves call to mind earlier hip-hop productions, but also the music of Fela Kuti and Steve Reich.

In the realm of hip-hop with a live band, "Heavy Rhyme Experience" is hard to compare to The Roots, but this record may be funkier and display more variety and diversity than any of The Roots' recordings. It's kind of a shame that the Heavies never actually made a Volume 2, exploring this direction further. This is easily their best album, though "Brother Sister" is very good.

The only complaint I have is the length, which at 30-something minutes leaves me wishing for so much more...

this cd is so dope. It is great old school hip hop over really tight insturments. This is what I feel influenced the roots and ozomatli( at least cut-chemist suite). Not like most of the other Heavies stuff but definetly solid. The reason that it gets 4 out of 5 stars is because the cd starts and ends solid but there is a lull in the rhyming skill in the middle. Definetly one to pick up and throw on during a party.

man, i tell you what, i was just reminded about how lovely this album is to listen to. i had the tape, but i lost the tape. right after i ordered it on here, i find the cotton pickin' think hiding in a doggone bag!!!! nevertheless, this is wonder fusion of funk and hip hop. why it did not get more attention than it did, i do not know. it was a breath of fresh air for '91/'92. you just do not hear that type of thang anymore. if they did it today, they would probably be club bangahs in the form of jazz. shameful!!!!!