Live at the Middle East [Live]

Mr. Lif | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 22, 2002)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Live
• Label: Ozone [Caroline]
• ASIN: B00005UF3G
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #435,409 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Intro

2. Get This Paper

3. Live From The Plantation

4. The Fringes

5. Elektro/Cro-Magnon

6. Stop The Record

7. Be Out

8. The Nothing

9. Universal

10. Insight Intro/Triangular Warfare

11. Earthcrusher

12. I Beat Ak In FIFA 98

13. Inhuman Capabilities

14. Freestyle Session

15. Dreadfro

16. Retrospect/Outro

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An unparalleled debut in hip-hop history, July 5, 2005

By 

Alan Pounds "Minnesota Hip-Hop Fiend" (Minneapolis, MN) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Live at the Middle East (Audio CD)

I saw Mr. Lif a couple weeks ago performing alongside Aesop Rock in Minneapolis. Needless to say, that was simply one of the most mind-blowing concerts I've ever seen. Both emcees were nailing every verse on point. That was enough for me to somewhat complete my Mr. Lif collection with "Live at The Middle East". The first thing that should be pointed out, if you don't already know, is that this was not recorded "in" the Middle East. "The Middle East" is a nightclub in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Lif makes it clear in the liner notes, as to what this album is all about - "This is not a live album...It's one show, presented in the rawest possible form, mistakes and all." Quite a gutsy move for a guy making his debut to the world. But on the other hand, how unique. The album is all over the board, chronologically speaking. He performs jams from his old unreleased material dating back to 1997, to jams in their rawest form from his forthcoming full-release, "I Phantom" (one year before it's release). It's true, that live albums are not regarded as being valued as much as a full release. But that's not the case here. This works as a fine introduction to Mr. Lif. This album, more than others, gives you a deeper look into his character, sense of humor, and his exciting on-stage persona. Mr. Lif isn't your average hip-hop artist. The fact that he is subjecting new, unrecorded material to a live audience is unheard of in hip-hop. It took me by surprise when I saw him live a couple of weeks ago. I got to hear a bunch of material off of his forthcoming 2006 full-release. His incredible live performance, unlike many others, holds your attention to it's fullest, which merits huge respect points.

Mr. Lif is truly a working class b-boy. The subject matter, messages, and lyrical approach is very reminiscent of Blastmaster KRS-One, and Chuck D from Public Enemy. He's a true protest rapper who has endless ideas on how to approach hip-hop as an art form, and a teaching tool. Whether he's delivering messages of 9 to 5 hell on "Live from the Plantation", rapping about nuclear war on "Earthcrusher", or rhyming about how he beat his DJ in Nintendo on "I Beat Ak in FIFA 98", Mr. Lif always come off as engaging and exciting to listen to. Most importantly, this album shows how intelligent Lif is. His style is unmatched, even in the underground. And regarding the production; it's good. With live albums (especially an underground rap debut like this), you want to capture the true essence of a live show. In that respect, he has succeeded. The lyrics are easy to understand and sound very clear, along with the beats and cuts. The "live" part doesn't muddle his message in the slightest. The only complaint I have about the album, is that the music stops a lot. Although I find Lif's commentary interesting, there is a break after (or in the middle) of every song. It's still a charming listen, but loses a little momentum for repeat listeners.

All in all, this album is worth every penny. If skills sold records, Lif would be going platinum with this one. But unfortunately, this gem will most likely be overlooked, even in the underground. A large part of that will be due to the "live" part of it. It will most likely be a cult classic that owners of studio released Mr. Lif will discover (like myself). But rightly so, I would have to recommend "I Phantom" or "Emergency Rations" first. But if you are already into one of those, you should find "Live at The Middle East" quite the rewarding listen.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Don't Let the "Live" Part Discourage Anyone, May 23, 2004

By 

toast (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Live at the Middle East (Audio CD)

I usually don't pay attention to live albums, but this one is better than most I have ever listened to. Lif does a nice job here, and definitely sounds different live than he does on his albums. There are places where singing is absent and Lif tries to bring the audience into his world, and extended periods where there are little "skits" of sorts. However despite this, the album flows well, and these interludes make the singing even more memorable. The album overall is well put together, from the 2nd song/sketch Get This Paper, to the intesting mix of the rockwilder song on Inhuman Capabilites. With a few unreleased songs and material and even tight 13 min freestyle near the end. I recommend this to any Mr. Lif fan

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The NICEST, September 17, 2002

By 

"dulio_nahledge" (Lake Geneva, WI United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Live at the Middle East (Audio CD)

Yo, Lif is like one of them cats that has more word genius than the dictionary, and just hearing him LIVE reminds me of why he's on top of things, not just rap wise, for if you listen to his lyrics and understand them, you know he's not your average cat, i mean this kid is inteligent yo. the rhymes are nice, the beats are nice, and the title that he gives to this album has so much meaning. i'm saying yo, he's poetic, funny, politically attentive, and best of all, he's the NICEST.