Itstrumental

Prince Paul | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 10, 2005)
• Original Release Date: January 1, 2005
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Female Fun
• ASIN: B0007TFIC4
• Also Available in: Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #210,617 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. MVU (Act 1)

2. It’s A Stick Up

3. Flattery (f/ Steinski)

4. My Friend The Popmaster

5. Inside Your Mind (f/ Mr. Dead & MC Paul Barman)

6. El Ka Bong

7. MVU (Act 2)

8. Yes, I Do Love Them Ho’s!

9. What Are You Afraid Of?

10. I Want You (I’m An 80's Man) (f/ Bimos)

11. Profit

12. The Boston Top (f/ Mr. Dead & Newkirk)

13. MVU (Act 3)

14. And The Winner Is?

15. Gangsta’s My Style

16. The Night My Girlfriend Left Me (f/ MC Paul Barman)

17. Live @ 5

18. MVU (Final Act)

19. Think or Die

Editorial Reviews

Bringing aboard likeminded collaborators of the past, Itstrumental plays out like a party of hilarity and hotness born from Prince Paul’s Long Island studio. Black Italiano The Popmaster is praised over a harmonious backdrop on "My Friend The Popmaster". Steinski provides lessons in picking up girls on "Flattery", while MC Paul Barman pleads for the redemption of a failed relationship on the haunting "The Night My Girlfriend Left Me". From the rugged, dancehall bop of "The Boston Top" (an ode to donuts) to the inventive "And The Winner Is?" a hypnotic piece that finds the Prince playing all instruments (drums, electric guitar, keys and more) and re-sampling them into one strong composition.

With the MVA (Mental Victims Unit) of the New York City Police Department hot on his trails throughout the release, Paul drops one crazy beat after another, only to further solidify his position in hip-hop as one of the sickest, most vital producers still thriving. This is Paul’s first true go around at creating an instrumental album, and it never fails to keep all corners of interest in the listeners mind awake and aware that they’re witnessing something, very special.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Ay, Paul...I got a job for youz, May 29, 2005

By 

Shaquan Young (New York, N.Y.) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Itstrumental (Audio CD)

It seems that his depression and period of confusion turned out in his favor. Creatively, this is Prince Paul's best effort (since the 21st century started). You can just hear the insanity he went through while making these songs. Fun stuff. It reminds me of how fun Hip Hop used to be, back when we all didn't take ourselves so seriously. Then again, Prince Paul has always been a looney oddball, aiming shots directed at himself to personalize the tone of his humor.

The intro, and other MVU skits, are a satire of Law & Order (with that trademark theme sound). "It's a Stick-Up" is a playful tune, taking me back to the early days of his production work. I especially love the guy threatening everybody, making them take their stuff off. "Flattery" is a gem, which kinda has that Handsome Boy Modeling School feel to it (because of the instructional host, and the theme of a guy spitting some WACK game to a woman). The sample he uses is lovely. "My friend the Popmaster" has the same beat and sample-loop from Princess Superstar's album (her song "I hope I sell a million records by Christmas" or something). Hearing this song cracks me up everytime. The Black Italiano is back, and he's even funnier this time around. I can't get enough. "Inside your mind" is just plain sick. SICK I tell you! The beginning is just too funny. You gotta hear it for youself. Paul must've really been trying to work out his inner-demons. LOL The guy who yells the hook is hilarious. He says "...when I R. Kelly on your belly..." The instrumental track, "El Ka Bong", is dope. It doesn't have any talking or singing. The beat just rides. Beautiful. I had to program that track for repeat play. "Yes, I do love them Ho's" and "What are you afriad of?" are decent tracks, but they don't really stick out. "I Want You (I'm an 80's man)" is funny only if you keep in mind that its a mockery of those 80's R&B songs. "The Boston Top" is kinda catchy, as it is a reggae riddim, but with humor. "The Night My Girlfriend left me" is one my favorite tracks. The end, where Barman starts crying and spazzing out over his girl walking out on him, is ridiculously funny. "Live @ 5" is my FAVORITE track. People here may disagree, but I love it because it's different. Prince Paul plays all the instruments himself, and it has a funk/psychedelic/'70 rock vibe to it. Its a simple song. No vocals. Switches up only twice, but loops over and over again. Its groovy. Real groovy.

Paul wasn't kidding when he wrote (in the liner notes) that he didn't want to make an instrumental album that was boring. So, as a result, he made a "SKITstrumental" album. I just hope that he doesn't have to succumb to depression any more, in order for him to make a dope album. He needs our support, and we need HIM!

5.0 out of 5 stars More Genius, November 22, 2005

By 

Anthony Pipes "Pipesy" (UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Itstrumental (Audio CD)

Again another underground classic from the king of ill loops Prince Paul. Gems for those who like your Hip Hop raw, with fat beats galore...ill in the extreme.

5.0 out of 5 stars Skitstrumental (itstrumental) is AWESOME!!!, October 6, 2005

By 

Adam P Boots (Valley Village, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Itstrumental (Audio CD)

Prince Paul is one weird dude. I'm so thankful he is, though... He makes refreshingly different and amazing music. Itstrumental is one of the first Instrumental (or mostly instrumental) hip hop albums that I would refer to as a "must buy". It's funny, has a great flow, sounds awesome, and is hardly something that I'd call "hip hop" except it's basically some straight up hip hop beats with only two tracks that have vocals and some of Prince Paul's trademark skits.

The Skits are classic Prince Paul, which translates to: this guy is funny and he makes funny skits. He essentially INVENTED the hip hop skit and from what I've seen in music, he's pretty much the only person who does them in a way that makes them worthwhile.

I love this album. I lend it to all my non-hip hop friends and I haven't had even one tell me a single bad word about it. Actually, most people go out and buy it and then go get the other Prince Paul stuff (Psychoanalysis is the next "closest thing" to Itstrumental, but it's still considerably different)

So I guess my point in this is that you should buy this album. It's good and you'll like it. Especially if you know and love Prince Paul already. If not, buy this, buy De La Soul's first album, and then buy the other three Prince Paul albums because they're all good...