Pangaea

Visionaries | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 24, 2004)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Up Above Records
• ASIN: B0001CNQHG
• Also Available in: Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #143,569 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Continents Reunit For 4 Stars, May 24, 2004

By 

Cuzz (Where Real Music Lives) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pangaea (Audio CD)

In the past decade the West Coast Hip-Hop scene has had a strong movement away from all the gangbanging and pimpin' producing a strong a strong centre for progressive, alternative, and true school minds to gravitate to. Several West Coast crews became prominent in leading that front: The Hieroglyphics Crew, Likwit Crew, Qunannam & Living Legends Crews. The recently reunited Visionaries are another such group. It has an interesting quality to it in the fact that they are a multicultural outfit. 2Mex (Mexican), DJ Rhettmatic & Dannu (both Filipino), Zen (Black), LMNO (White) and KeyKool (Japanese) make up the group. They all have their own style on the mic with 2Mex and LMNO really standing out to me. They also have interesting in-house production from KeyKool & DJ Rhettmatic. You get the sense these dudes know how to craft an album well. They have great collaborators Babu, J Rocc & Melo D of the Beat Junkies as well as a couple of others help with the beats. Fellow West Coast undergrounders Living Legends stop by for a song as well adding their vocals. The Visionaries keep the raps interesting with kold B-Boy lines as well as sharp socio-political commentary. Their album name is also of interest because it is the name of the great continent that was the Earth before it was broken up into the different ones we know today. To me this speaks of their intelligence as well as their pride in the unity they have. Now I'll talk about the stand out moments...

Strike ~ This song is sort of a struggle against oppression in the type of world we live in today dealy. How it is very real and its hard to stay true in what you do. Babu & Rhettmatic drop an ill beat. It's a key driven number with understated drums, siren sounds and thumping bass interjected. It has a busy nature to it but a sanity in chaos type business, not just noise. They also touch on some social issues in their lines such as American imperialist ministate, Palestine and natives. 2Mex opens things up the best in my opinion.

DoMakeSayThink ~ Visionaries come with another interesting cut about being an individual and standing up and being counted with actions as well as being well informed. They also talk about how they actually have something to say with their music. They have a pretty catchy chorus and all come correct with the raps. KeyKool does the production on this one. It is an acoustic guitar based loop with some pounding percussion and well suited scratching

Believe It ~ So fuI<in' tight is really all I have to say. It has an upbeat fun vibe that anyone can enjoy. This is just some B-Boy dropping knowledge and bombs. KeyKool does the beat once again. It utilizes a laid back guitar loop that is pretty funky and some interesting drum patterns to spice things up. On the vocal tip they all represent dopeness to me.

If You Can't Say Love ~ J Rocc laces the dudes with a warm string looped production along with some fresh cuts and sped up vocals on the hook. This is essentially a joint about spreading joy, love, peace and brotherhood. Fresh ish with some great wordplay amongst the lyrics. Zen & KeyKool have the best verses in my opinion check out Zen's:

"/Patiently taking all day waiting for the confrontations to cease
/and the nations to do as we've done
/replacement killers LOVE a good fight/
/a goodnight kiss takes the queen but protects the king's life/
/while worldwide peace is just a figment and now is where we're livin'/
/we can hold on to the vision/
/do our ancestors right by our decisions, thanks givin'/
/to the most for the host of believers/
/and this ghetto child's achievements/
/to all the bereavements we are.../"

Meeting Of the Minds ft/ Living Legends ~ To me this could become a definite West Coast underground classic. Essentially the guys are just in a cipher dropping battleish verses. DJ Rhettmatic and KeyKool come together to produce a different beat for each MC. For me Eligh, KeyKool, Sunspot & 2Mex bust the freshest (especially Sunspot). It's just straight up dope hip hop.

Visionaries craft an album with eclectic beats, words of wisdom and a refreshing consistency. They have catchy hooks but they could perhaps use a hook sung by West Coast songstress Goapele (see Planet Asia, E-40, Hieroglyphics, Zion I) or someone of the like for a bit more variety but it's all good. As long as they keep speaking the truth and KeyKool & Rhettmatic keep scoring interesting production the future looks bright. 4 stars. Peace love & soul

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I like this group (even the underground) because of this album, October 13, 2005

By 

rexy (gardeeena, cali) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pangaea (Audio CD)

I copped this album over a 1 1/2 years ago, after hearing it in my homies' ride. This homie loves underground hip hop, and I didn't know too much about the underground.

When I started listening to the album, the first 8-9 tracks were very accessible, even to the novice underground listener, but I remember thinking it gets a little shaky once the track count hits double digits.

Infact, since I didn't even know about the Living Legends, "Meeting of the Minds" sounded ok, but really long at the time. However though, after a year and a half, that's probably my favorite track on the album. (As the reviewer 'A music fan' mentions, this track 'pretty much pays for the album' ...I agree...)

Even after owning this album for a while, I still love listening to "Strike" and "DoMakeSayThink."

Overall, I believe the album is solid and very accessible to people that's never heard of the Visionaries. I would suggest this over 'Galleries' or 'Sophomore Jinx' if you are contemplating about getting their work.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ThIs Is It RiGhT hErE!!!, July 4, 2005

By 

ViSiOnArIeS lOvA "OnE pEaCe!" (BaLdWiN pArK, CaLi) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pangaea (Audio CD)

i love this album, its one of the best albums ive heard along with sage francis and atmosphere. but visionaries stand alone when it comes to their music. this album sends a clear messege of love, truth, peace, humanity etc... the beats are tight, the rhymes are dope, and messege is right. this album is for everyone and anyone who loves music. even if your into that greedy materialistic mainstream hip-hop, this is a fresh breath from the poisoned mainstream. its "feel-good" music for evryone, buy this album you wont regret it ever.