Customer Reviews

Legends

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Ten years and still going, these Pomona heads have elevated the game another level. "Legends" is their best to date and "The Pimp Clinic" is up there with the production genius of Quik, Organized Noize, Premier and Shock-G. Peep the banjo-down-home-drawl of track 8, or the sinister "Set Trippin", not to mention the sinfully salicious "Soliciting." Uniqueness should have its place in this world of remakes, 2Pac "thug life wannabes" (i.e. C-Murder, Bone among others), and "Cristal, Versace, ain't sayin' nothin' rappers" (Jay-Z of course, Foxy, fill in the blank) Unlike the artists previously mentioned, this is not "throw-away" music. Now if only I could get the stale heads of "Beats by the Pound" to listen to Cold 187um and KMG's licks! JD, the aformentioned No Limit to "how low we go" bruhs, and Harlem World may go platinum but it just proves SALES DO NOT = SKILLS! Big Ups to the real hip hop heads, like ATL, who still know the true.

9 years in the game and 18 months since their last release ("Time Will Reveal" -- my favorite of their group albums -- I don't have "Uncle Sams Curse" or "livin Like Hustlers") ATL is back with a solid 4 star album. Like the previous 4 albums of their's, it has a nice G-Funk sound to it and all the production is handled nicely by Cold 187um (aka Big Hutch). Of the 15 songs on here, 1 is a classic, 6 are ok, and the other 8 are good. Guests rap on 3 songs and do the hook on 4 others so you get alot of KMG & Big Hutch. A good album for their fans to have and fans of G-Funk west coast rap.

#2 - 10 (CLASSIC -- f/ Jayo Felony -- tight beat)
#3 - 7.5
#4 - 8 (f/ Traci Nelson)
#5 - 8.5 (nice beat)
#6 - 7.5 (f/ Young Ten)
#7 - 7
#8 - 8.5 (nice beat)
#9 - 9 (nice beat)
#10 - 9 (tight beat -- f/ Traci Nelson)
#11 - 7.5
#12 - 7.5
#13 - 7 (f/ Madd Harv Dogg)
#14 - 9 (KMG & Yukmouth -- no Cold 187um on here -- tight beat)
#15 - 8 (f/ Nicole Hithe)
#16 - 8 (nice upbeat song to end it)

COLD 187um (Big Hutch) -- Gregory Hutchinson -- b. around 1968 -- Pomona, CA
KMG -- Kenneth M. Gulley -- Pomona, CA

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This album is incredible.With techno, funk, dance and pop beats, A.T.L. are probably the most distinct rappers ever to have surfaced. L.A.Vibe,Set Trippin,Worldwide, Adventures Of,and Karma,are the best tracks ,perfect to bump at night. The Streets is a soulful but funky melody.Promise me is a top notch smooth track.And XO is perfect for the summer,a fine westcoast track. For the reviewer who criticized this album:you're not a real rap fan and you don't know good music. For all you gangsta rap fan's out there, this is the album for you,and a special addition to your collection.

Above The Law has a neat and varied catalogue of music ranging from Livin' Like Hustlers 1990 to Forever: Rich Thugs Book 1 in 1999. They released some awesome, and often under the radar stuff, and helped change the rap game in the 1990's. Legends is their 1998 album after Uncle Sam's Curse (1994) and Time Will Reveal (1996). Cold 187 um continues his scientific beat experiments here as he did on all the ATL albums. I gotta say, his G-Funk beats definitely are original, not like many other producers. The beats are different here than any of the other beats I have ever heard. Lyrically, the album is definitely a ATL album! Now, they don't break any new ground; that was Uncle Sam's Curse's job, but this album is definitely enjoyable. Joints like "X.O. Wit Me" thump with a dope lowrider beat and ATL and Jayo Felony trading fire. "The Streets" is one of my favorite ATL joints ever with a nice laid back melodic beat with a nice Hawaiian motif in the background; perfect to tear the streets up or hit 3 wheel motion. "Soul Searchin'" definitely bangs with a beat only 187 can create, a nice twangy beat KMG trading verses with Yukmouth of Luniz fame with a nice female vocal chanting "can you see the light." The track drops intelligent street knowledge with some voodoo imagery while taking a look at their own souls. Some beats here are likably oddball, very original and experimental like "L.A. Vibe," the eerie hood anthem "Set Trippin,'" and "Karma;" just try to beat box to the latter; you simply can't because there is so much electgronic madness goin on there. "Adventures Of..." is interesting. Nicole Hithe drops some interesting and hella sexy hook vocals and some pimpin' verses that ATL are well-known for with another original beat. "In God We Trust" is what I believe, a bonus track. The song slaps with a heavy beat and a neat middle eastern motif. ATL kill the track with killa street flows. Beatwise, this album is as experimantal as any of their older albums. Definitely open your mind and please give this album a try! Get it before it sells for 70 bucks like Uncle Sam's Curse.

If you never before listend to Above The Law then I recomend buying this CD. This CD has the tightest beats and great rapping from XO with me th Promise Me to Soul Searching. You wont regreat buying it.

LEGENDS is the bomb.superlyrical,and with the tightest music i have heard on an album for along time this one is a must have...bangin' organic soundin beats with a thematic soundscape. best tracks are clinic ni**az, set trippin, the dventeures of.awwwww damn there all good juss buy it

The first Above the Law (Hutch, Cold 187um, KMG and Total K-Oss) release I came across was the groups fifth album "Legends" (1998). Los Angeles' Above the Law are one of those slept on groups that never got the attention that other groups of their time did. One track, which I consider a classic cut on this one, is the memorable "Deep AZ The Root"; love the lyrics, beat and especially the chorus to this one. On the dark "Set Trippin", Above The Law kick some killer rhymes over an ominous sounding beat, and come on point again on the powerful "Promise Me". Rhyming over an upbeat sounding instrumental ABL shine again on the smooth "The Streets". The laidback "Summer Days" is a distinctively West Coast sounding cut which flows through well. Above the Law take their listeners to another place on the slow introspective "Soul Searching". ABL closes off the album strong with "In God We Trust", a track that gradually builds up. "Legends" is a solid album worth having in the collection. 3.5.

That's the first ATL album i listened to and i must say that from this date, I have listened to rap music differently...now I have all ATL's albums and they are all the best CDs in my collection. TRY IT!! and almost listen to it attentivly...

It tight so it one of my old school collection. Yes they are Rip Eazy E ' boyz which eaz-y e put them on and make them million$$ . It all about businesss ..

I must admit, I slept on their first album. But I have all of their other albums and LEGEND is the best. The beats were tight, their street message was strong and every song on the album was top notch. This is definitely a street album, so if you are from the suburbs you might get lost on the album!