Customer Reviews

Ink Is My Drink

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Think about all the times you read a review of some new hip-hop album where the writer gave it five stars and said, "This is the REAL hip-hop!" and "All TRUE heads will dig on this," usually sandwiched between some image-induced self-commentary on why they don't like crunk and why this particular stylistic preference is somehow in keeping with the one true spirit of hip-hop.

Then, pulled under by these pseudo-religious pronouncements, you buy the album. After all, you're a true head, too. The album turns out to be just another average, decent-but-not-great early-'90s throwback.

Not so here. Panacea dropped a really good album. The production style is not entirely unfamiliar ---influenced by classic breaks, frosted with strings, guitars. There is a slightly melancholic pull to some of the loops, but without being overly emotional or sappy. As mentioned elsewhere, there are occasional sped-up soul samples. Think somewhere in between Primo and Dilla: more adventurous than the first, but not as loose as the latter.

Lyrically, it's on point. You got your standard round of subects--- girls, war, etc., but it's really not that derivative...just good. He works best when he's going fast, but not at the sacrifice of thoughtfulness (he's not bad when it slows down, either, don't misunderstand). There's good singing on some of the choruses, appropriately moving when it needs to be.

Again, this is one of the albums that is as good as all the high ratings it receives. It's unlikely you'll be disappointed should you decide to give it a chance (and a serious listen).

In the late 1990s, independent hip-hop record label Rawkus Records received extensive exposure and flourished within the rap scene, bringing to the limelight several then-underground artists such as Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Common and Pharoahe Monch. Socially conscious hip-hop gained momentum, fueled by Rawkus-backed compilations such as The Lyricist Lounge, which also had a worldwide tour and inspired the MTV sketch show The Lyricist Lounge Show.

Founders Brian Brater and Jarret Myerin were forced to close shop in January 2004, after creative differences between the label and Geffen Records, which had sought a more mainstream target approach after acquiring Rawkus from MCA Records in 2002. After inking a new circulation deal this year with RED Distribution, an independent branch of Sony BMG Music and the leading "indie" distributor in the United States, Rawkus is on track to resurrect the underground hip-hop movement.

It is fitting, then, that the label is home to the debut album Ink is My Drink from Panacea, a duo consisting of producer K-Murdoch and emcee Raw Poetic. The group, originally from Washington, D.C., follows the successful formula created by The Roots, utilizing a live band to produce a smooth, fluid debut LP that massages ears with socially conscious, intuitive grooves.

Having produced for r&b talents along the likes of Raheem DeVaughn, W. Ellington Felton, and Bilal Salaam, K-Murdoch layers Ink is My Drink with funk horns, orchestral strings, and eclectic guitars that create a continuous soundtrack for Raw Poetic to step up to his lyrical podium, weaving short-stories about life, love and hip-hop culture.

Indeed, Ink is My Drink more fittingly is described as a soundtrack, rather than simply as an album, as K-Murdoch's soundscapes recreate the underground D.C. vibe, while Raw Poetic's allegories drive home his points without the side effect of overly hammering the listener.

While Panacea has been described as following in the steps of A Tribe Called Quest or De La Soul, the distinct chemistry between K-Murdoch's production and Raw Poetic's urban libretto more resembles a duo such as GangStarr or the perhaps the successful combo of producer Pete Rock and emcee CL Smooth.

Such chemistry allows for Ink is My Drink to strap listeners in for a rhythmic journey similar to 2004's Connected, the soulful collaboration between producer Nicolay and rapper Phonte, a duo collectively known as "The Foreign Exchange".

A mini-excursion in itself, the opening track, "Trip of the Century" shifts through a various loop of sounds all within three minutes. Launching with a 1970s inspired soul groove, the track quickly bursts into a rapid percussion loop highlighted by loud horns before settling back into a funk-inspired outro.

Relationship struggles are tackled on "Coulda Woulda Shoulda", while doubters and naysayers are handled on "Reel Me In". Raw Poetic preaches morality lessons on "Steel Kites" when he lectures, "Before you pick up guns.../ Pick another product to sell / Pick up your people like fam when they not doing well / Like mothers at funerals when they going through hell."

On the infectious, saxophone-laced "Pulse", he introspects about the thumping heart of the streets. "But love makes a march like a month when it starts / And you march to the rhythm of the heart / To the pulse, to the beat to the street / To the movie as a child / And find that you even got a style that is wild / Flourishing through nourishment / following your purpose is the pulse so these ideas I never circumvent."

In the mold shaped by the introductory track, "Starlite", the final track, returns to the dreamy, mystical mood of the intro track, with a spacey, above-the-clouds melody echoed by a subway train clicking down a railway. K-Murdoch launches an upbeat drum break that Raw Poetic leaps on, ripping the track with a rapid-fire performance that brings the album to a conclusion that serves to leave even the most devoted backpacker fan jaded with bliss.

While the elegant, magnetic beats provide consistency, at times K-Murdoch's transitions often have a stiff segue between tracks. Though he impressively handles his content and thematic range, Raw Poetic often fails to switch up his cadence and verbal patterns, leading at times to a stagnant delivery of keen lyrics.

At slightly over 47 minutes, the album's brevity is a slight detractor, yet also a welcome change of pace from the formulaic filler approach of two or three skits, radio/club single, for-the-ladies cut, and requisite "for all the dead homies" track. Nevertheless, Ink is My Drink stands as a significant player in Rawkus' resurrection of the indie rap pastures.

It is only fitting then that the group's name defined is a supposed cure to disease or solution to dilemmas. Ink is My Drink stands as an exemplary prototype to return socially conscious and culturally refreshed music to the forefront of the hip-hop scene.

THIS CD IS A MASTERPIECE!!! I was forgetting for a moment there what pure, genuine, authentic songs were nowadays. The music world was becoming the movie world: trite and indifferent. But Panacea's INK IS MY DRINK adds a new light to a darkened situation. Never has a CD captivated and invigorated my interest so much that I listened to it at least three times in three hours in such a long time; the last time I heard such good music was when Marvin Gaye's album "What's Goin' On" was a hit. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY GREAT MUSIC!!! With sure to be hits like PULSE, INVISIBLE SEAS, STEEL KITES, AND BASICALLY ALL OTHER SONGS ON THE CD, EVERYONE should have a cd this wonderful. The catchy excellent beats are complimented by extraordinary and super original rhymes by Raw Poetic and K-Murdock. This is the beginning of a new era in music and has reminded me why music exists in the first place - it is an art, a way of expression, and a way of life. If Panacea were my lifeline, I would live forever because this CD is absolutely amazing. GET IT ALREADY!!!! I CANNOT WAIT FOR THE GRAMMYS!!!! GO PANACEAAAAAAA...I am forever touched by such outstanding music. GOOD GRIEF THIS IS GOOD!!!!!!!!!!

This album is extremely refreshing. The combination of Raw Poetic's storytelling lyrics and K-Murdock's deep production make "Ink is my Drink" one of the best hip-hop albums I've heard in a while. Invisible Seas, Place on Earth, and the single Starlite are the tracks that stand out to me, but from start to finish this is a solid album. I definitely recommend giving Panacea a listen.

If you haven't heard "Ink Is My Drink," you can basically accept that you haven't heard anything quite like Panacea before. The rapper Raw Poetic and producer K-Murdoch's 2006 Rawkus debut is completely unique and the result is special.

K-Murdoch is the star of the show. Although he had produced numerous R&B albums prior to "Ink Is My Drink," Panacea is the vehicle for his creative genius. His rich soundscapes are moving mostly due to the combination and arrangement of his samples. While he does sample extensively, he is not bound by conventional hip hop sampling. Even the sunniest of his beats are latently melancholy and have the odd memory-inducing quality of some of Jay Dee's later work (although the comparisons to Dilla should end there). Some of the whimsical instrumentals sound like they could have been taken from a Disney soundtrack, while others derive from dusty soul samples of a strangely distant quality such that they emit an otherworldly vibe. The unlikely combinations of sounds can at times be unsettling but are simultaneously inspiring. He also employs live instrumentation (horns, guitars, pianos, strings) to a great effect. In any event, these beats floored me and are the type to get lost in. The sonic masterpieces that are the gorgeous "Work of Art," smooth "These Words," and phenomenal "Ecosphere" are worth the price of admission alone. On these songs, the samples and instrumentals are engineered to pure perfection; these are incredible but far from the exceptions.

At first, Raw Poetic seems an unlikely match for K-Murdoch's beats. He is definitely a bit more conventional in the nature of his craft, but he actually provides a nice complement, and sometimes contrast, to the music. He's quite literate, has an impressive array of flows and strong delivery, and he's a very thoughtful dude. His strongest performances include "Place on Earth," an endearing, introspective take on one's home, with a sunny, friendly soundscape. On the more raw-edged "Steel Kites" his relevant rhymes take center stage, and I love the muted trumpet K-Murdoch incorporates at the end. Actually, the whole arrangement is excellent. Perhaps Raw's best performance is "Woulda Coulda Shoulda," a truly insightful look at a breakup that is neither bitter nor sad, just thoughtful. The soulful, low-key production on that track also shines. On "PULSE" he raps "They say things gotta change/I throw a buck into the sky just to watch the change rain" before adopting a political agenda over the twangy funk of "Burning Bush."

"Ink Is My Drink" is a forward-thinking effort and something really different for the hip hop audience even among an underground scene that thrives to provide something different. While not necessarily a flawless effort, the creative energy never slacks and it's a great listen from start to finish. This album avoids abstractness despite the unconventional nature of the music and ultimately proves an endlessly rewarding LP.

This is something of a continuation of the direction Hip-Hop was heading before the influx of music we hear today on Urban radio today. When you first listen to these guys, names like Tribe Called Quest and Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth come to mind. But no, this is different. More laid back than even De La Soul. This music, it's more than a fantasy, it's a different world. A true soundtrack to life, if you will.

I couldn't name just one song off of here that caught my attention. And to be honest, when I first picked the CD up, I didn't know what to expect. The whole CD is truly unique. It caught me off guard due to the fact that you just don't hear good rap music like this anymore, and that's the sad truth of it all. After a year of owning this disc, I make sure it's at my reach at all times because you'll never know when somebody else catches on to Panacea's sound.

The next time you hear from the media about how bad Rap is for todays youth, make sure to mention these guys, and other groups like them that have been pushed to the background. There is such a thing as 'good rap music' and the world really needs to hear about it.

I was looking for something. I didn't specifically know, however. I wanted some hip-hop. I wanted something that I never heard of before. I wanted to buy a random album that I was never told about, and find greatness.

Suprisingly, this is exactly what happended. I found Ink is My Drink, and was impressed. Unforunatly, I was looking for christmas presents, so the album went to my brother. He, of course, burnt it for me. This album is great. Finding it was fate.

I'm from Brooklyn New York AKA Medina and it's a blessing to hear Hip hop that is a healing to my Soul and Ears. I discovered these brother's on Itunes first and I was so impressed that I downloaded the album.I was in Manhatthan yesterday and I went to Disco Rama record store and brought the Cd cause these brothers made such a lyrical and musical impression on me. When I listen to "Ink is my Drink" it takes me back to the nostalgic memories of riding the Bus in Brooklyn back in High school in the early 1990's, When all you had was a casette walkman or cd player to carry you through the ride, and you felt like a Million Dollars sitting at the back of the bus bobbing your head to the "Real" you did'nt have to have Ice or 20 inch rims to try to impress some Chicken Heads, all you had was the Beat and the Word to tounch your Soul. Thank U Panacea and I will continue to support Real Hip hop. Live from Brooklyn New York Hollaaaa 4 real Hip Hop and turn off the RADIO, Sincerely The God Allah aka "The Libertine"