Customer Reviews

Order in the Court

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

 

 

I bought this album after listening to audio samples & I have to say that I was impressed! Released in 1998, I surprised that I did not heard about it sooner. The lines between Hip-Hop and R&B?Soul are very blurred to the point that on most tracks your cannot tell which is a R&B or Hip-Hop song. This album is perfect for the music listener that wants music of substance, intelligence, & meaning. This album will tantilize you with such tracks as the striking "Bananas (Who You Gonna Call?)" which is also the first single from the album. It is followed by "Court Is In Session" which her flow is excellent on. The music is very unusual for a hip-hip album. "No/Yes" is another superb track. Other highlights & favourites of mine are: "Parlay", "Paper", "What Ya Gonna Do", "It's Alright", "Brownsville", & "Life". The photographs are very unusual too, the type photography Grace Jones has on most of her albums.
Get this album if you don't already have it! You will not regret it!

"Order In The Court" is another Latifah Masterpiece. The album is a bit different than her past 3 rap albums.

A. She sings a lot more

B. There are a lot of samples From Cherelle, Isley Brothers, Sade, ETC.

My take on some tracks

1. It's Alright - A classic track, where QL Sings about feeling safe with her lover, written by Faith Evans, sampling the Alicia meyer's Classic "I want to thank you". Also, From The Nothing to Lose soundtrack. On the album Version, Lil' Mo replaces Evans' background vocals. While, either way it's a great song, Evans provided much better background vocals for the soundtrack. Should have kept it that way

2. let Her live [Featuring Next] (Japan/France Bonus Track) - A classic which samples "That Girl" By Stevie Wonder. A mistake removing the track from America. While a hot track, it's kind of conceited. Latifah raps about how hot she is, as Next's chorus, based on Wonder's lyrics go "That girl know that she so hot, that she can blow ya spot"

3. Life- A classic rap about Life's struggles over a sample of a looped portion of "You're not the man" By Sade - The Best Track on the album

4. Keep Your Head to the sky (Japan Bonus Track) - An inspirational rap over a sample of "Saturday Love" By Cherelle. A Mistake removing it from America because it's the second best track on the album.

5. No/Yes - A classic rap about whether or not to have sex over a sample of "passion Play" By The Sugarhill Gang

6. Turn you on - Pretty Much A hot rap remake of "I didn't mean to turn you on" By Cherelle. Also samples the song. Latifah's rap pretty much stay true to the meaning of Cherelle's original.

7. Bananas (Who you gonna call?) - Latifah's on fire and ready to fight! She's lyrically crushing her competition in this song.

While it's a 5 star album, it doesn't top 1993's Black Reign, her best rap release, in my opinion. A must own for Latifah fans.

Latifah released a single a few years back, I'm not sure what the name of the song was or the exact year it was released, I just remember the video and the phrase "elements that I'm among" being part of the chorus. If this sounds familiar to any of you die-hard Queen fans I would appreciate your input on how to get this song on cd. Thanks!

If it's order she wants, then it is order she'll have. This experimental release from Queen Latifah deals with matters ranging from God to money and power to sex. It's a more mature album showcasing Queen's singing ability which is something that might become more dominant in her career and shows her growth as an artist in general.

Everything about this album, from the photagraphy which is awesome, to the lyrics which bridge early 90's Hip Hop with the more recent, down to the production is very well done. This is not for your average shoot-em-up Hip Hop heads, but for those who understand that in order to grow as an artist, one must try new things to see how it fits.

The Rap tracks, of which there are few, are strong. Especially "Bananas (Who You Gonna Call?)" which is supported by one of the baddest beats I've ever heard. The R&B songs tend to get soulful which is something that I don't think she should have played with too much, but she gave an overall great performance on each. "Paper" samples the classic Marvin Gaye track "I heard It Through The Grapevine" and is expertly re-mixed by Wyclef Jean who lends his vocals sutbly throughout the track. The vocals on this track tend to be playful yet authoritative, letting you know sweetly that if you try to take her 'paper' that certain things will happen... we will not go into detail on that one. "It's Alright" is another of the standout tracks on the album on which Queen sings. A very melodic track kind of sunsual but very good to listen to.

Best tracks (to me) are:
1. Bananas (Who You Gonna Call?)(startling at first, but turns into a ground shattering track)
7. Parlay (a chilled out song, with laid back rhymes)
8. Paper (best track on the album, very addictive)
10. It's Alright (borders along the lines of slow jam and mid-tempo)
14. Life (a song about... life)

Basically, Queen Latifah stepped out of the box on this one. A highly commendable record.

I think this is an outstanding cd.I don't understand why it didn't get more air time on the radio. I love every song on the cd. All hail the Queen. Queen,if you happen read this,stop by if you are in the Maryland/DC area. Looking forward to your next cd. P.S. I have read your book too,and I enjoyed it.

The few rappers still talking about something, Queen Latifah reclaims her throne on Order In The Court. Complete with the "I Heard it Through The Grapevine" sampled "Paper" and "Bananas(Who You Gonna Call)"... While this album pretty much went unnoticed, it just proves that hip hop fans just don't have a taste for black reign anymore. We eagerly await a new album.

Well, it's been quite some time since the Queen's last release...however it just makes us sava tha flava all the more. Despite what some critics charge....I see Queen Latifah's maturation in this album. She's come a long way since her debut album "All Hail The Queen". "Bananas" (Who Ya' Gonna Call), "Court Is In Session", "Paper", and "Yes/No" appear to be the most popular tracks. She is totally unique in her field, and that is what has kept her extremely diverse, and loyal following so attatched to her. She represents positivity, growth, strength, pride, overcoming adversity, fun, challenge, and love. We love her! All Hail The Queen!!

You've seen her as Cleo in the hit movie, "Set It Off," Kadijah on Living Single, but can she still rhyme? The answer is a resounding "yes."

On her third album since her Gold sophmore smash "Black Reign", "Order In The Court" continues you bring you the trunk funk, and she brings the rawest rhymes since her debut album "All Hail The Queen."

My favorite jewels on this album are the apocalyptic "Bananas (Who You Gonna Call?)" (featuring Apache) where she releases fury and lets all the MCs in the Rap Game know that "court is in session" and the Queen is back. Some tight rhymes on "Bananas..." are "I'm telling you straight up/ All you sleeping beauties better wake up/ I'll tear your state up/ So set the date up." Also other hot tracks are "Court Is In Session" which she flows with incredible swiftness and precision like a boxer with rhymes like "Some of yall emcees in hip hop/ Just making the game crowded/ Let's play a game of elimination, or detonation/ Seperate the wack like segregation." and "Paper" where she makes a funky hip-hop version of Marvin Gaye's classic "Heard It Through The Grapevine."

Queen Latifah brings back her soulful style of R&B with tracks like "No/Yes" where she ponders whether she should have sex or stay celibate. "Turn You On" where she disenfranchises a "playa," "Black On Black Love (featuring Next and Antonique Smith)", the beautifully mellow "What Ya Gonna Do (featuring Inaya Fafan)" the definite club hit "It's Alright" co-written by Bad Boy diva Faith Evans. "I Don't Know (featuring Sisqo)" and the exodus of "Life."

This album is definitely an endless groove and you can bump this in your car or if your "Parlayin'" at home. There is no question, The Queen is back!

I also recommend Janet Jackson's The Velvet Rope.

Order in the Court was good, but it's not as strong as Black Reign. I still like Bananas, which has all kinds of things going on in it. It came at a time when everybody was copying Puff Daddy's beats, that four beat, shake it up style that he did so much. This song is like that, plus it sounds like Run DMC's It's Like That and has a boxing ring bell as a side effect.

After that, the album's a mixed bag, some upbeat songs and a few dull songs. It's a little too R&B for her and not enough hip-hop. Perhaps her next album will go for a street direction, which she's so great at.

This time around Latifah is as hot as ever in terms of lyrical prowess.The fault lays with the music.Side A of this cassette is great but some of the tracks on Side B however are from fair to good.The production was lacking some.This is most evident on the track 12 "I DON'T KNOW",where the music is weak and lyrics are good but are way too soft.If the music had been produced to fit the song perfectly[smoother pure r&b backing music],then the results would have been excellent instead of merely good. The excellent tracks are:#'s 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,10,and 11.Give this set a chance like I did because you will enjoy it. ALSO, she is working on her new LP. It is supposed to be great. BUY IT when it comes out.SIGNED 17 YEAR OLD MUSIC FAN.