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The Imperial Album
 
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The Imperial Album [EXPLICIT LYRICS]

Flipmode Squad
4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (25 customer reviews) More about this product

List Price: $13.96
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Frequently Bought Together

The Imperial Album + Dirty Harriet + E.L.E. (Extinction Level Event): The Final World Front
Price For All Three: $41.88

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  • This item: The Imperial Album ~ Flipmode Squad

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  • Dirty Harriet ~ Rah Digga

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  • E.L.E. (Extinction Level Event): The Final World Front ~ Busta Rhymes

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Product Details

  • Audio CD (September 22, 1998)
  • Original Release Date: September 1, 1998
  • Number of Discs: 1
  • Format: Explicit Lyrics
  • Label: Elektra / Wea
  • ASIN: B000009OPC
  • Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl
  • Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #83,858 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Listen to Samples

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1. Imperial Intro - Flipmode Squad
2. To My People - Baby Sham, Flipmode Squad, Rah Digga, Rampage, Busta Rhymes, Spliff Star
3. Settin' It Off - Baby Sham, Flipmode Squad, Rah Digga, Rampage, Busta Rhymes, Spliff Star
4. Run for Cover - Baby Sham, Flipmode Squad, Lord Have Mercy, Rah Digga, Rampage, Busta Rhymes, Spliff Star
5. I Got Your Back - Baby Sham, Flipmode Squad, Rah Digga, Rampage, Busta Rhymes, Spliff Star
6. This Is What Happens - Flipmode Squad, Rah Digga, Rampage
7. Everybody on the Line Outside - Flipmode Squad, Lord Have Mercy, Rampage, Busta Rhymes
8. Last Night - Flipmode Squad, Spliff Star
9. Where You Think You Goin' - Baby Sham, Flipmode Squad, Lord Have Mercy, Rah Digga, Rampage, Busta Rhymes, Spliff Star
10. We Got U Opin, Pt. 2 - Baby Sham, Flipmode Squad, Lord Have Mercy, Rah Digga, Busta Rhymes, Spliff Star
11. Straight Spittin - Baby Sham, Flipmode Squad, Lord Have Mercy, Rah Digga, Busta Rhymes, Spliff Star
12. Money Talks - Flipmode Squad, Rah Digga, Rampage, Busta Rhymes, Spliff Star
13. Cha Cha Cha - Baby Sham, Flipmode Squad, Rah Digga, Busta Rhymes, Spliff Star
14. Hit Em Wit da Heat - Baby Sham, Flipmode Squad, Lord Have Mercy, Rah Digga, Rampage, Busta Rhymes, Spliff Star
15. Do for Self - Baby Sham, Flipmode Squad, Spliff Star
16. Everything - Baby Sham, Flipmode Squad, Rah Digga, Rampage, Busta Rhymes, Spliff Star

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Back in the early 1990s, Busta Rhymes was a member of Leaders of the New School, a talented bunch whose critical praise didn't translate into sales. Reaching acclaim on his two solo releases, Busta now returns to his roots by heading a new rap tandem: the Flipmode Squad, consisting of Lord Have Mercy, Spliff Star, Baby Sham, and Rah Digga. Their debut, Imperial, contains head-nodding beats and spirited verbal exchanges that can have as many as all six members rhyming on one song ("Straight Spittin"). Maintaining an unapologetic street edge with the occasional dance-floor flavor ("Everybody on the Line Outside"), Busta's latest should satisfy those willing to give his side project a listen. --Elliott Wilson

Entertainment Weekly
Their pass-the-mic lunacy proves infectious.

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Customer Reviews

25 Reviews
5 star:
 (18)
4 star:
 (7)
3 star:    (0)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.7 out of 5 stars (25 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing Rap Crew (4.5), March 11, 2006
Busta Rhymes, founder of The Flipmode Squad had already released two top selling solo albums ("The Coming" and "When Disaster Strikes...") prior to the release of "The Imperial Album". In all of his solo albums, he has a few songs with collaborations from Flipmode members like Rampage, Rah Digga, Baby Sham, Spliff Star and Lord Have Mercy. On this album, they all come together to produce a full length album, and it is a tight hip hop album. With a gangsta feel on many tracks, this crew are an exceptional group of rappers.

"To My People" is an intense, outstanding opening rap track to follow the intro, with a kicking beat and a fierce chorus. Rampage delivers an awesome verse in this track which is probably my personal favourite off the album. "Settin' It Off" follows with Busta Rhymes bringing his crazy, unique rap style to the first verse of the track. Overall, it's a fairly tight song. "Run For Cover" incorporates a cool orchestral beat into the rap and its a cool song. "I Got Your Back" is one of the best tracks on here for sure, with a sweet chorus, and a tight, groovy beat. "Everybody On The Line Outside" has a hip hop/dance style feel to it, with a solid chorus and good verses. "Last Night" has a very Busta type beat, sounding much like some of his obscure solo stuff off his debut album. Spliff Star has a sweet first verse. This track is certainly off the hook, and one of the many album highlights. "Where You Think You Goin" is another amazing song with a violin instrumental for the beat, and a catchy chorus. "Straight Spittin" is an intense, full on crew collaboration, and is pretty off the hook with some sick lyrics. Rah Digga has an amazing verse in this track, check these rhymes: "Paper like meade, I'm in the mix like speed/and be screamin on the mic till my tonsils bleed". "Money Talks" brings a new hip hop flavour to this album, with a more commercial feel to it. The rest of these Flipmode tracks don't disappoint, "Hit Em Wit Da Heat" is a pretty tight song, and so is "Do For Self".

Overall, this a great purchase for any fan of Busta Rhymes solo music. This crew works very well together, and they got some very tight rap tracks on this full length Imperial album. This is hip hop done right, with tight hooks, good lyrics, and catchy beats. I would highly recommend this to any hip hop fan who likes Busta, and wants a taste of what the Flipmode crew is like. Also, look for Busta's latest release when it drops July 19th, entitled "The Big Bang".
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars No Question, Flipmode IZ Da Squad!!, April 2, 2004
By Robert Torres "Bobby Shaddoe" (New Port Richey, FL United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
Busta Rhymes is one of my all time favorite rappers, and the Flipmode Squad is the illest rap group I've ever heard, right up there alongside Eminem and D12.

This album is simply outstanding, the lyrics, the beats, everything is outstanding. I also love how in certain songs, the raps and lyrics come out as though they were just having a conversation which I think is simply bad ass.

Don't get it twisted, pick up this album, and look out for the Rulership Album, coming soon.

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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars ONE Opinion, 1/2 million agree, June 22, 2000
By JQ (Yonkers, NY) - See all my reviews
Being involved with the project my opinion might be a little biased but as a manager of one of the artists I feel I can you my honest opinion. THE ALBUM IS BANGING. The only drawback is that some tracks seem to drag on because you have 6 or seven MCs spitting. Overall the versatility of the Squad in refreshing. A lot of times you get clicks where everyone who rhymes sounds alike has the same style and flow and it gets tedious. 'The Imperial' gives you the best of everything, they got the party 'CHA, CHA, CHA', the got the hardcore 'Straight Spittin', old school 'Got You Open II' and something to think about 'Do For Self'. DJ Scratch blessed the Squad with tracks to last ages. Flipmode has something that most groups don't have no weak links. Everyone in the Squad is lyrically official and they all write their own rhymes sorry no ghost writing either hold it down or go home. I'll rep FlipMode forever. BABY SHAM, RAH DIGGA, RAMPAGE, BUSTA RHYMES, LORD HAVE MERCY , SPLIFF STAR- ONE - JQ
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Busta busts through!!!
W00HAA!!! Busta and the squad cha cha cha through this album that should start a trend of rap supergroups. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Smegma Cheese

5.0 out of 5 stars Hip hop classic minus one wack member.
Standout tracks: TO MY PEOPLE, SET IT OFF, RUN FOR COVER, I GOT CHA BACK, THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS, EVERYBODY ON THE LINE OUTSIDE, CHA CHA CHA, LAST NIGHT, WHERE YOU THINK YOU GOIN,... Read more
Published on September 12, 2006 by Nuisance

5.0 out of 5 stars Bangin
It's still hittin. Production is tight, and lyrics and besides Buckshot, there weren't any features. Read more
Published on December 3, 2005 by red ant

5.0 out of 5 stars Flipmode Iz Da Squad
The wait is finally over. Busta Rhyme finally bring forth his crew, Flipmode Squad, with The Imperial. Read more
Published on August 6, 2005 by Carltouis Stevenson

5.0 out of 5 stars IMPERIAL NOT SICK (THE BEST ALBUM)
1. THE IMPERIAL INTRO - 4.5
2. TO MY PEOPLE - 5
3. SETTIN' IT OFF - 5
4. RUN FOR COVER - 5
5. I GOT YOUR BACK - 5
6. THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS - 4. Read more
Published on September 5, 2003 by Matthew

5.0 out of 5 stars New Rulership
FLIPMODE IS THE SQUAD BRING BACK LORD HAVE FLIPMODE NEW ALBUM OCT.3 ITS TIME FOR THE NEW BLOODLINE TO RUN SHIT
Published on September 18, 2000 by timdog

4.0 out of 5 stars pretty good
My fav track is obviously Cha, Cha, Cha. Rah digga and busta are the phattest on this cd, and the tracks are pretty good, with a couple mediocre onces. Read more
Published on March 14, 2000

5.0 out of 5 stars Flipmode Iz Da Squad
Flipmode has the dopest collaboration of rappers out there. They are better than Ruff Ryders. Lord Have Mercy is off the hook. Rah Digga is way better than Eve. Read more
Published on November 19, 1999

4.0 out of 5 stars Flipmode is tight. Lord have mercy has the tightest voice.
It is hard to really sum it up. Busta does it again. Rah Digga, Rampage, Baby Sham, Spliff Star and lord have mercy come out huge on this record, especially on "straight... Read more
Published on October 29, 1999

5.0 out of 5 stars FLIPMODE IZ DA SQUAD!!!!!!!!!!!
This is the best busta cd yet. Every track is sick. Lord Have Mercy kicks ***. If you don't have the imperial yet, you must get it.
Published on June 12, 1999

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