Customer Reviews

Music Magic Myth (Bonus CD)

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This album deserves to get far better than some mixed reviews and a recognition for future potential. For those who have never heard Last Emp before, now's the best time. He uses fantastically vivid and tightly woven lyrical skill along with strong intellectual content to produce what I see as some of the best hip-hop ever to vibrate its way out of a speaker.

The album starts out setting a plot with a skit. An evil army of whack emcees has risen in the eastern provinces, and they now threaten the capital; the time for battle is at hand. Hence forth a hero arises from the "people's republic of west philly" trained in the dark arts of hip-hop. Of course, our hero is Last emp himself.

The entertaining intro sets the scene for Last Emp to come correct on the mic for track after track of pure hip-hop goodness. There are so many tracks on this album that go beyond what the mainstream masses would have ever dreamed or thought hip-hop could be. On "Tiger Trail" emp shows you his talent for raw lyrics over a hot eastern influenced beat with a hard hitting hypnotic bass line. The delivery here is right on the mark too, it's just one of those tracks you can't help but rap along to. On "Prisoner" Emp shows his story telling abilities, and it truly demonstrates his artistic talents. Compare this to anything else out there and it blows it out of the water. Perhaps the hottest all around track is "Karma". Here Emp delivers 3 separate brilliantly expressed stories of heartfelt emotional empathy over a thought-provoking beat. The words here are inspiring and uplifting, and show a much more positive side of hip-hop. Emp gets downright philosophical on "One Life", on a track that is both heart-wrenching and mind blowing. To all those that never thought theological questions could be intelligently explored on a hip-hop track need to hear this. This song displays how Last Emp can get very deep in ponderence while still remaining concise and articulate with his rhymes. An excerpt says it all:

"A meaningless death made me question the meaning of life
Does my body remain at rest like when I'm sleeping at night?
Will I burn in eternal hell or will I find paradise?
Be rejected or resurrected like the body of Christ?
Is it like purgatory, the story described by the Catholics?
Or Nirvana that Buddhists honor in both theory and practice?
Like I study in my college philosophy classes
Or do my molecules and atoms travel back to the gases?"

The positivity Emp routinely brings through in his music is summed up by the last line of the first verse of this amazing song: "He said a brotha like me is willing to fight, and every time I question death my only answer is life".

Other notable songs include two romantically inspired tracks "Shine" and "do you really care?". Both have lots of heart and tons of lyrical talent. On the later Emp states the memorable lines:

"truly divine, now show me a sign
I want you to remember but you wont even try
Who woulda thought that our worlds would collide
on the corner of hello and goodbye
but I wont deny
Im lonely inside
a million faces in the crowd and she overlooks mine
and even though I got pride, you know I wont lie
memories of you are still etched in my mind"

I don't think even Common's much-loved "The Light" can truly outdo these two excellent tracks. The last track "The Great Pretender" has Ceelo of Goodie Mob in the background, and though the composure of the song's awkward hook keeps it from being in my favorites list, Emp lyrically shines here and sums up his entire rhyming paradigm in a few lines:

"This is your opportunity to listen in
if you're coolin by yourself or maybe with some friends
from the young bucks upto senior citizens
I make em get up and feel like kids again
Now if you don't wanna stand, then take a seat
as I take you to the land of make-believe
mister grey has came to display his greatest feats
you want a snack? well relax, cause you in for a treat
What I write comes to life so people can get busy
and I'll live on well after these same people forget me"

Lastly, we have a shining star of a track in the beautifully constructed song: "single mother". While not as soulful as "Dear Mamma" or "Keep ya Head Up", Emp carves his own nitch here giving props to single mothers world-wide, both his own and others, in a mature, intelligent and heartfelt ballad that truly deserves due praise as one of the best in the category. The second verse Emp gives props to his own mom

"You were my first teacher, my first friend
gave me my first vision, and a first glimpse
of a bigger world, givin me my first look
tuckin me into bed, read me my first book
and as I fell asleep for the first time
little did I know you were showin me my first rhyme
I wanna thank you for showin me
how to be a man and turn my pain into poetry"

Truly, this album cannot be awarded anything short of 5 stars. I'd give it 10 if I could. This is more than I good album by a man with talent, it is a glaring example of what hip-hop can and SHOULD be. Last emp takes it back to the essence and proves proficient at everything from story-telling, to introspection, to pondering the mysteries of the universe, to expressing emotions, to battle raps, to straight up old school funk. His vocab is impressive, his lyrics intelligent, his beats dope, his delivery impeccable, and his rhymes tight. If you're a real hip-hop fan, go do yourself a favor and buy this album and hear it for yourself.

I am sooo glad he was finally able to deal with all the problems he had with his distribution and all that and sign with raptivism. Ive been a fan of The Last Emperor since 99 when I first heard secret wars part 1 and was blown away by how he was able do deliver something inovative and new and not rhyming about "bling bling" and all that junk that now runs rampant throughout hip-hip.If you are a true hip-hop head and still hold the art of real lyricism close to you I highly recommend this album from the first track to the last the emp paints vivid images in each of his songs and deliver's a great album BUY THIS ALBUM!!!! and also download his vast collection of songs on the internet I promise you won't be dissappointed. Visit his website http://www.thelastemp.com/
My favorite tracks Who's That, Some Love Some Hate, Tiger Trail, Karma, One Life, The Incredible Man, and Finally my absolute favorite Single Mother ...

The Last Emperor made his name on the Lyricists Lounge albums, an series of albums dedicated to hip-hop heads connected with the underground. He wasn't a prominent feature on these albums, hence there wasn't a whole lot of hype for his debut album. Working against Last Emp even more, he couldn't even get it out on Rawkus, where it'd have moved more units; he had to go with a very cheap label to publish and distribute his music for him. By the time Music, Magic, Myth was released, not only was it scarce in any store, but even some of the most dedicated hip-hop heads had no idea who this cat was.

Last Emp showed his brilliance on the Secret Wars saga, which can be found on the bonus disc of this album. The chosen few who did know this cat's skills were anxious to hear how well he'd do on a solo album; and thus, this masterpiece was given to us. But are there even more than a thousand people out there who've heard this album? It'd shock me. I'm shocked to see this album has the sixteen reviews it does on it, and also very pleased that this album, at the very least, reached some heads; because anyone who is a fan of hip-hop deserves to own this album.

It's musical perfection; from start to finish, nearly cracking in at an hour long, Last Emp doesn't let up. He is the most passionate emcee I've ever heard on the mic; if you thought Shakur's delivery was powerful, you haven't heard anything yet. His lyrics are leagues above most cats in the game, including some of the most revered lyricists; on a straight-up lyrics tip, I'd only put him behind Immortal Technique and the GZA. The thing is, unlike the aforementioned CD, who are politically charged(Tech), or throwing poisonous darts(GZA), Last Emp is the soft-spoken poet who spills his heart out onto his music. He drops knowledge, science, mathematics, whatever you want to call it, all over this release. He has the vocabulary of a college professor, and the heart of a warrior.

There are so many powerful cuts on here, it's hard to single any out; but tracks seven and eight are my absolute favorites. Track seven is One Life featuring the late Too Poetic; who was literally dying as he recorded this song. Too Poetic's words are enough to bring a tear to the eyes of even the most stubborn individual, as he retells the phsyical pain he's suffering with his intricate storytelling. Despite nothing being able to top Poetic's verse, Emp's is powerful in its own right, as he questions religion, and life after death like no other emcee can in his verse. Track eight is Meditate, and it's spine-tingling; the Buddhist monk hymms in the background create a very atmospheric piece of production, and Last Emperor drops verse after verse of dopeness.

The Last Emperor's debut(and unfortunately, only album at this point) is just as important as the Illmatics, Ready To Dies, and Reasonable Doubts of this world. If you can find this, do yourself a huge favor, and pick it up; i promise you won't regret it.

THIS ALBUM IS COMPLETELY THOUGHT PROVOKING, FIRST RATE MUSIC AT IT'S FINEST, AND THE LEGEND HIMSELF IS BACK TO WHIP THE RAP SCENE BACK INTO THE SHAPE IT BELONGS IN. LAST EMPEROR GIVES PAUSE FOR THOUGHT WITHOUT THE TAUDY BRAINLESS DRIVLE LIKE TODAY'S CLONE RAPPERS, WHO APPARENTLY HAVE LESS ENTERTAINMENT VALUE THAN THE HALF HOUR OF INFOMERCIALS FROM THE "TIME LIFE- BEST OF THE 70'S COLLECTION" HAVE TO OFFER.
BUT, EMP KNOWS THAT. THAT IS WHY HE MADE AN ALBUM SO GOOD THAT PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO PAY OVER $30.00 TO GET IT. WOULD YOU PAY THAT MUCH FOR A 50 CENT ALBUM? NO, I DON'T THINK YOU WOULD. YOU WOULD NEED SIXTY 50 CENT'S TO PAY FOR ONLY ONE EMP. AND RIGHTFULLY SO. LET'S VIEW LAST EMP'S ALBUM SHALL WE.

Disc: 1
1. Intro 10/10
2. Who's That 9/10
3. Some Love, Some Hate 8/10
4. Tiger Trail 10/10
5. Prisoner 8.5/10
6. Karma 8.5/10
7. One Life 11/10 (R.I.P.) POETIC
8. Meditation 8/10
9. Animalistics 8.5/10
10. Underground 8/10
11. Block Party 9/10
12. Do You Care? 8/10
13. Shine 8/10
14. Incredible Man 8.5/10
15. Let's Ride 8/10
16. Hold On 9/10
17. Single Mother 10/10
18. Great Pretender/Outro 10/10

SO IT IS AROUND 160/180= 16/18= 8/9= 89%
Bonus Disc
1. Secret Wars, Pt. 1
2. Secret Wars, Pt. 2
3. Here We Are


ANYWAY, FIND THIS ALBUM. REALIZE THE TRUTH ABOUT REAL RAP.

It was hard for Last Emperor to live up to his previously bootlegged material, and although this album is not as good as his unreleased material it is still a worthy effort. The Last Emperor still has several key things I really like: a sick flow, wit and humor, lots of pop culture references, and a sense of attachment to the poor and everyday people in the world.

The album is set up with a little intro, which I thought was funny as hell. I only wished he kept the theme going throughout the album. The biggest problem is that the 2 bad tracks on the album are the first ones. "Who's that" and "Some love, some hate" have really bad hooks and just aren't that interesting. The Ayatollah-blessed "Tiger trail" is hypnotic, while "Prisoner" and "Karma" are great stories about everyday people.
On "One Life", probably the strongest song on the album, Last Emp contemplates the afterlife but is then COMPLETELY overshadowed by Poetic, who tells the story of his diagnosis with colon cancer. This is the first verse I have ever heard spit by Poetic (R.I.P.), but knowing that everything he says is true and that he recently passed away because of colon cancer got me near tears ... There are also some other strong cuts, such as "Meditation" (though I liked the older version with a different beat much better), "The Block Party", "Hold On", and "The Great Pretender". After the first 2 wack tracks everything else is strong. In all, it's a good album with well-written lyrics and good beats.

Finally we have been blessed with the debut album of the last emperor, and what a debut it is!! Last emp first caught my attention with his 12" "do you remember?" which was so fresh that I started looking for more cuts. After having heard both "secret wars" parts, my mind was made up, this guy is in a league of his own. With constant refrences to comic books and movies and his philosophical ways of rhyming, the last emperor is one of the upcoming lyricists of our time. The album is made in a similar way, the album title "music, magic & myth" best discribes it. When listening to this album, one is taken into another world, where Hip Hop becomes a journey of surreal images. Basically, Last Emp is one those mc's that can rhyme over any beat and make it sound tight. Thats why its hard to pick out particular songs, cause their all nice in their own way. Give this guy a chance, he wont disappoint you!! Peaze

The Last Emp; superurb music. Lyrics with true substance, Hypnotic beats. Truely Art that will last the ages.

The Last Emperor is a difficult MC to define. His rhyming and wordplay are second-to-none, rivaling many of the more popular rappers out there like Ludacris (who, love him or hate him, never fails to come up with track after track of tremendous rhymes). His style can move from the more experimental sounds of a Jedi Mind Tricks-type to more inward and reflecting in the vain of Mos Def. However, at his heart, The Emp seems like he would be most at home paired up next to another MC free-styling on the mic in a battle setting. The result is a disc that makes for a tremendous listening experience that seems to be, itself, a tour-de-force of the styles and sounds of the hip-hop world.

The subject matter varies widely on the disc, from the hilarious intro where we first learn of the Dredi Knight himself to the much more somber "Prisoner," which could be a lyrical partner to Talib Kweli's "Get By." The one thing which did not strike me until a friend pointed it out, however, is the minimal amount of expletives used by the Emp during his tracks compared to most other MCs. I, myself, am no saint when it comes to language; I only bring it up as evidence of the Emp's strong writing ability, rhyme work, and flow that he can write what is, for the most part, an album that still kills without relying on every third word being MF this or N-that.

Unfortunately, The Emp falls just short of achieving greatness on this disc, his debut outing, due to some serious padding over the course of the album and a generally mediocre production. Some of his tracks are, for lack of a better word, plodding in nature. The beat-work is passable, but the Emp needs to get with a better producer for his follow-up effort. In that regard, this album reminds me greatly of Deck's "Uncontrolled Substance" which was marred by poor production work when Deck decided (for some reason) not to work with the RZA.

I hope the Emp learns for this outing because he has a ton of talent. I'd actually like to see him tag with the Wu production crew and see what the result is. Either way, this is a really good album that deserves attention from hip-hop fans.

Lyrics: This is The Last Emperor's greatest aspect. His lyrics are generally clever, and often have profound meaning. It's easy to see that emcees like KRS-One, Jeru, and Guru were role models for him. That's not to say he's better than them, but it's clear they influenced him. Elements of Wu-Tang are also present in his lyrics though not so evident.

Flow: Though the Last Emperor has a decent flow, it is by no means exceptional. Though not everyone can have a flow like Ghostface or Meth, I did hope that the Emperor's flow would have been better on his debut album. I hate to admit it but the Emp's flow is his weakest point. Don't get me wrong though, flow isn't everything. Some of the best dont have exceptional flows, such as Jeru (Who makes it up with presence and lyrical content).
Some of the Chorus' are also unwelcomed ("Some love, some hate" for example which just has a corny LOX sound)but overall it's better than average.

Beats: Though the beat production is not excellent it's better than most and you'll definitely not be dissappointed. They work well with the Emperor's slow flow and actually make his mediocre flow sound better.

you will not regret buying this album. the emp's lyrics are consistantly tight - well thought-out, intelligent, and mystical. the emp brings you back to a time where hip hop wasn't about blingbling, it was about having a view and expressing it, about having something to say, about being creative and smart. his rhymes are incredible.