Customer Reviews

Intelligent Hoodlum

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Tragedy's debut brings us the chronicles of a young QU soldier, looking out the window like Malcolm, with a pen and a note-pad, ready to blind the minds of 85ers and droppin' science on the project youth. Tragedy speaks nothing but the truth, this MC is all about build and destroy. All his lyrics revolve around science and mathematics, a testament of his afilliation to the N.O.G.A.E. The unique combination of hard-core, street, ghetto vernacular and esoterics, make him one of the most versatile MC's on the face of the earth and it's evident on this CD. Open your third eye to the wisdom of every jewel featured on the "INTELLIGENT HOODLUM", Peace!!

Tragedy Khadafi has been an underground favorite of mine for years, but a decade before he was known as Queensbridge's Foul Mahdi, he was a teenage member of Marley Marl's legendary Juice Crew known as the Intelligent Hoodlum. He debuted in 1990 with this twelve track self-titled album. It's hard to believe that this young old school MC is the same rapper who would later inspire listeners with his grim, desperate hood narratives and philosophical rap. Here, he is a positive rapper with a socially relevant agenda that bears little resemblance to his post-2000 work. He raps about going to parties, and he advocates Afrocentrism, anti-violence, and urban justice. I've heard his early work compared to a young LL Cool J, and I think that's an accurate comparison. Production is simple but appealing, handled by Marley Marl and Large Professor. "Intelligent Hoodlum" doesn't have any amazing songs, and his approach is straightforward. On his debut, Tragedy Khadafi is fun and impressive, and this is truly a quality piece of old school hip hop. I recommend "Intelligent Hoodlum" for fans of the late-80s/early-90s East Coast hip hop sound.

On the opening title track, Trag introduces himself and gives the listener his background. "Back to Reality" is a great track about growing up, sampling Soul II Soul's "Back to Life." He spits b-boy battle rhymes on "Trag Invasion" and advocates social responsibility through African independence, stopping the violence, and anti-abortion sentiments on "No Justice, No Peace." "Party Animal" is a simple party track, and "Black and Proud" is a straightforward pro-black song. The winding, funky beat and dope old school rhymes about female troubles make "Game Type" a winner, while "Mic Check" is decent. My favorite song is the encouraging "Keep Striving," which has excellent soulful and upbeat production. "Party Pack" is another cut about partying, while "Arrest the President" is a provoking profile of the problems Tragedy perceives in the urban community. "Your Tragedy" closes the LP with a good performance of raps in the second person, an early recording from 1986.

I've always been perplexed that a rapper of Tragedy Khadafi's talent and history could be so relatively unknown. From his days with Marley and Biz Markie in the Juice Crew to his 2003 masterpiece Still Reportin', he has been making great music over a span of two decades, but is constantly overlooked. This album was out of print for a long time, but in 2007 it was re-released in a package (Intelligent Hoodlum/Tragedy: Saga of a Hoodlum)with the follow up, 1993's phenomenal Tragedy: Saga of a Hoodlum that also contains some nice unreleased bonus material. Consider that package a must-have, it's awesome music for a great value. "Intelligent Hoodlum" is positive and fun old school rap from an MC who went on to a career of diverse but always quality material.

If you can find it, it'll be one of the better listens for diggin in tha crates from 9 to 5. Political, Street, & Party raps throughout. Whatever you wanna call it (A GEM, A Classic, A Masterpiece) its that!

This is Intelligent Hoodlums 1990 debut on A&M records. The one time Riker's Island (served 20 months on Riker's Island for robbery in 1988) inmate raps about black culture and politics, while showing plenty of fine flowing and whimsical observations. Juice Crew production (Marley Marl of Big Daddy Kane, MC Shan, Craig G, Kool G Rap, and Biz Markie fame) provides the beats and production in fine style; as Shan would say "Layered, Lean, and Dope." If you love old skool cuts in the sophisticated Markie, Gang Starr, Rakim mode, then this golden age hip hop classic of hip hop gold will no doubt satisfy.

Intelligent Hoodlum aka Tragedy drops a gem with his self-titled debut. Trag showed his lyrical skills on Marley Marl's In Control Volume I, but on this album Trag shows us his versatility through his Pro-Black militant stance. Tracks like Black & Proud, Trag Invasion, Back To Reality & No Justice No Peace are without doubt definite classics. Let's not forget the classic of all classics Arrest The President (the verdict is still out on Obama) is still the ultimate in ya face political anthem. Too balance Tragedy's political tracks he drops jams like Game Type, Party Animal & Microphone Check. It's too bad in the mid 90's Tragedy went from one of the youngest, brightest & talented grassroots emcees to a mainstream, mafioso, thug type of rapper. I rather remember the "hoodlum" who transformed into an "intelligent" emcee than the "hoodlum" who transformed into an "intelligent" emcee then transformed back into a "thug." Now, that's a tragedy!

This album is a classic, intelligent hoodlum or recently known as tragedy khadafi with a good flow and topical rhymes shows how hip-hop can be used to the advantage of the poeple. such songs as "Arrest The President" and "Black And Proud", another good song which unfortunately isn't on the album "Grand Groove". combined with his street knolage and rhyming ability, intelligent hoodlum has created a classical rap album this is a must buy for anyone who is a fan of the music.