Customer Reviews

Sonic Jihad

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

First let me tell you who's talking here: I'm a 58 year-old white dude, with a university degree - I'm middle aged and middle class. I live in 'the sprawl' near major US port city. I have a full time job, a wife and a mortgage. The pigs have never busted me or my head with a nightstick and I have never been an overnight guest in their facilities. i.e. my life experiences would not make me a likely candidate to relate to this particular CD. There are a few hip-hop, rap, DJ and drum'n'bass CDs in my music library, for example: Ludacris, Outcast, Dub Syndicate, DJ Crush, DJ Spooky, Michael Franti & Spearhead, MC Solaar, Postive Black Soul. and misc. others. So this form is not alien to my aural networks. Now - that being said, let's get on widdit: Paris, the P-Dawg is the MAN! I have Paris' 'Sonic Jihad' and 'Sleeping with the Enemy' discs. Jihad just gets a lot of spins around here. I made a copy of it for my LBU (Lovely Bride Unit) to play in her ride when she took a recent road trip to visit the fam. I didn't even tell her I loaded it in the CD player. When she returned two weeks later she said: "Damn that Paris CD is EXCELLENT! I played it the whole trip and even played it for my nephews!" (They're highschool age and think Eminem is way cool. ) They dug it too. At first the political content took them by surprise because they don't get to hear too much of that where they live in 'middle America.' But right away they recognized the music and top shelf and by the 2nd & 3rd spin there were down with the program! I have played this CD for most of my buds and everyone is in agreement, Paris deserves a wider audience BOTH for his music AND for the CONTENT of his lyrics! I cannot emphasize enough the importance of his lyrics and the insightful manner in which he presents his message(s). If you like hip hop and have not heard Paris.. by ALL means get yo hands upon this disc! And play it loud. IF you have not paid much attention to hip hop yet (like where have you been?) then get your hands upon this disc! And play it loud. If you are a Card-Carrying Republican from Iowa - most definitely get your hands upon this disc! Wrap your mind around it and hold on. I'm ready to nominate Paris for President. And to borrow a lyric from the funk miester George Clinton: "Paint the White House Black!" Play this a few times - you WILL be impressed! And like me you'll be asking: Why haven't more peeps heard Paris!

Paris' return sees him in top lyrical form as always and in 2003, the year of the "War On Terror" and illegal invasions he couldn't be more timely. Over the course of the sixteen tracks (Featuring cameos by the legendary Chuck D and excellent Dead Prez) he manages to tackle many of the real issues behind the spin. Aside from the obvious, he covers everything from the unspoken evils of diamonds to the armed forces' exploitation/enlistment of the urban poor. He rarely falls into cliche and delivers the messages with intelligent and insightful poeticism. This is the most important album of 2003 (in any genre) and easily sweeps aside the pathetic "artists" who form todays excuse for hip-hop. A must buy for the conscious listener.

Sonic Jihad is the fifth LP from Paris. This LP is simply one of the best albums that he has ever done. The introduction on the disc sets you in a mindstate that you really do need to be in when you listen to this album. If you are close-minded or love the Bush family and the Government, go ahead and buy it but don't bother listening to it for it would end up upsetting you to the extreme. I know some of ya'll get my point right there. ($) But if you have been a long-time Paris supporter or do not like the Bush family and the Government, or if you question the liable persons for 9/11 you need this disc, bottom line. This is what it boils down to: if you are sick and tired of listening to the "Bling-Bling", "Pimpin' The Women" scenario, the United States Government, the Bush camp, and are looking for a change that takes out the scandalous actions of the United States Government & the Bush family with fist pounding fury all at once go ahead and place your order immediately. Check out Paris on the World Wide Web @ www.GuerrillaFunk.com. Thank you for your time & Peace.

Bro Paris has surely done it this time.Starting with the CD cover that has the jet flying into the White House,you can imagine what he's going to say.

His beats are so tight on this CD that I'd say that he gives Dr Dre a run for his money...the commentary on this CD about Bush,the government and the rap industry is just blistering.Paris never has and never will "bite his tongue"

If you want to hear true hip hop that speaks truth to power pick up this CD.If you want to hear watered down,bling bling,commercial rap...well,don't get this cd.This is for mature audiences only.And it won't be played on the radio,that's for sure!

Dead Prez,Kam and Public Enemy joins Paris on four of the cuts.

Must have CD for your collection

(...)

The key to knowing if an album is dope: It has over 14 tracks and you do not skip any of them after listening to it over 5 times. This album has 16 tracks and I didn't skip any, what a major accomplishment in 2003. Paris has done something huge. I only hope that this classic won't be treated like a classic GO-GO Music album and ignored. Those of us in the D.C. area feel me on the Go-Go Music treatment.

If you want to know where all the great West Coast artist have gone, look no further. I don't know if Paris is actually considered a great west coast artist by the general public but this album is definitely great, it's going to be a collectors item. This is actually the first Paris album I ever brought and I had not really heard anything from him since 1992' when his name was in the media all the time due to the controversy involving his album's artwork and President George Bush Senior. He has had music released between that time and now, so I am feeling like I must have been missing out on something and I might have to go to his website and order those missed albums. The content on this album is amazingly filled with current historical anecdotes, its academic, political and funky. Nothing soft about it in any aspect so I had to make sure that I purchased the clean version with the bleeping of the curse words - I have kids you know. If you believe in conspiracy theories, you realize that after its official September 23rd release Paris' might just disappear. When the rap intellectuals of today start labeling albums as classic and noting them for historical rap relevance I predict Sonic Jihad will be an album they speak about. If they don't mention it they will be regarded as "suspect" in my book. Most of the album has a real serious west coast feeling but its the type of West coast feeling that everybody used to love when Ice Cube made Death Certificate. I was looking for something to hate on with the album but I couldn't find anything in any of the 16 tracks. I had forgotten that an album could be so entertaining and educational at the same time. All the information in his Guerrilla News Network- Aftermath: Unanswered Questions is on this album in rap form and more. The best thing is that this is more than just a political rap album. The quotes and artwork on the CD alone are worth the purchase. Its a good day for rap music. My Favorites are "Evil", "What Would You Do", "AWOL", "Ave Bushani" and "Split Milk".

After 9 long years of wait, Paris returns with his best work to date. Paris still sounds sharp on tracks like Field N**** Boogie, Sheep To The Slaughter, You Know My Name, What Would You Do and How We Do. Capleton shows up on a great collabo joint called Spilt Milk. M-1 rips up Tear S*** Up right along with Paris. Dead Prez would also show up on the solid Freedom. Kam shows up on Aint No Love and they both rip studio gangsters a new one. The lyrical assault on hip poppers continues on Lay Low. Lay Low starts off as a conversation between Paris and a youngster and it ends up being a diss against studio wangstas. On the track Evil, Paris explains the evil psyche of Massa. On AWOL, Paris tells a story of how joined the army and all he had to witness when it was wartime. Chuck D on the remix of Freedom and there are no fillers on this album. Bottom Line: Paris gives you his best and most consistent album yet. The rhymes were as sharp as they were insightful and the production and guest appearances were great. Its unfornate that nobody has heard of this highlight album of 2002. Its message is one that needs to be heard especially now! Standout Tracks: FIELD N**** BOOGIE, SHEEP TO THE SLAUGHTER, SPILT MILK, TEAR S*** UP, AINT NO LOVE, LAY LOW, YOU KNOW MY NAME, EVIL, AWOL, WHAT WOULD YOU DO and HOW WE DO.

Paris is probably one of the most underrated rap artists in the game right now. Every aspect of this album is top-of-the-line. The beats are flawless and lyrics are moving and right on target. Even the Intro/Interlude parts are awesome. If you like true hip-hop, and I mean for more than just beats, you MUST pick up a CD or two by Paris. This happens to be my favorite album of his, mainly because its most relevant to me, but I have all his CDs and they are all well worth buying.

Also check out his web site at guerrillafunk . com and you'll see that he's more than just talk.

Very few artists these days have bothered trying to be meticulous in the creation of their work. Even fewer have succeeded. P-Dog has obviously put a lot of work into his latest offering, since it's definitely his strongest album since his first (The Devil Made Me Do It). Every album or single Paris has ever put out has had a message, and whether you agree with him or not, you can't help but admire the fact that he has the guts to say what's on his mind without fear of reprisal. Which isn't to say he hasn't been under a great deal of fire for his words - he's just not letting that frighten him.

While this album may entertain you, ecite you, or even leave you bewildered or bristling with rage, you can't help but notice that it is a solid piece of work, from the lyrical content, through to the music, even right down to the album packaging. It is evident that nothing has escaped the notice of this militant rapper and his contemporaries could take a lesson from this. It's about time a true piece of art came from an artist - there have been too many cheap forgeries as of late.

I am playing the hell outta this CD! It's a great analysis of the goings on of today and will be relevant in the years to come. Is Paris off the hook? Is he puttin' it down the way it needs to? You better believe it! Had I heard a song like AWOL before I signed the papers to join the military in 1988, I NEVER would have signed the papers and wasted 8 years of my life in there. Yes, I was smart enough to get outta there in 1996.

If you are a true supporter of this brother's music, definitely get this CD! Also, get all of the other CD's he did in the past. Why? All of them are still relevant to today! Sleeping with the Enemy is my favorite album he did before he did Sonic Jihad.

I am so glad that Paris came back into the game. We needed him back so badly. He is a true hero to those of us who want to know the truth about everything. He definitely tells the truth on this CD. Sonic Jihad is a masterpiece and he is brilliant in what he does.

This CD needs to be REQUIRED listening for every young person in this country and worldwide. You will NOT be disappointed in listening to this. It is full of substance and Paris deserves every single Progressive award out there because this is a classic!

First to the reviewer who rants about bleeding heart liberals, I am a 29 year old black male who CAN'T STAND condenscending, think they know it all liberals who with their well meaning but ill conceived ideas have helped to keep blacks down. That being said, this album is on point for the alternative views on politics and social commentary in general. Too bad Cloudy Channel would never play cuts from this album although it has street cred bump that lsitners would apperciate; listen to track Sheep to the Slaughter (Props to Chuy Gomez at Cloudy Channel 106.1 KMEL for at least having Paris on and playing the track even though it clowns the station's owners). This album seeks to tell it like you don't get to see it if you rely on your everyday network talking heads. Best Tracks, What Would You Do(first heard last spring), and Evil. Props to artist like Paris, the Coup, and Public Enemy for trying to really keep it real. Even if you don't sway to the left.