Customer Reviews

Stress: Extinction Agenda

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Organized Konfusion's second effort, "Stress," is considered by many to be the most "slept on" album in rap music history. This album redefined lyricism, taking it places it had never before been. Pharoah Monch and Prince Poetry, who comprise O.K., have a message which is both conscious and real. One highlight of "Stress" is Stray Bullet, which is rhymed from the point of view of the bullet itself. Another gem is "Thirteen," where Monch flexes his unparalleled MCing skills. There are few acts out today who ca n match what Monch and Po are doing lyrically. The underground has already taken notice. Now, it is time for some mainstream recognition for these young, talented conscious urban poets. They inject nothing but positivity into an industry desperately in need for some. I recommend this album without any reservation, listing it in my personal top 5 hip hop albums of all time.

this album is the answer to people who said the beats werent chunky enough on the celph titled debut it is what defines hip hop today. Forget the 50 cents the eminems the chingys and check out real dope hip hop

Favorite Track: Stress and Bring it on and the whole disc!

10 of 10 lyrics 10 of 10 beats

Its rare that i give an album a five star rating. Partly because my standards are high, but there are also no half-star ratings. That means you really have to draw the line on what is great and what is classic. But in the case of Organized Konfusion's second album, Stress: The Extinction Agenda, I think the five star rating is well deserved. Though not the most enjoyable album ever (at times the production becomes a little too gloomy, even for an underground act), that may be the only noteworthy setback, as it is certainly one of the most complicated records to speak of. That is a good thing too. The album has an intellectual edge that is at times unparalleled in hip-hop. Buy this album and you will be struck by lyricism. The obvious choices on display are Stray Bullet, Thirteen, and Bring it On. But there are others. Pharoahe Monch's now infamous line from Extinction Agenda, "who can you trust when a priest is now the beast", which may be the enduring question of underground laborers. Then there is Keep it Koming and Maintain, where Organized (especially Pharoahe) twist popular phrases and make them uniquely theirs. The aforementioned somber mood becomes movingly justified at the very end of Maintain as Pharoahe offers a subtle tribute to his father, who died during recording, by referencing to him on the last line of the album.

First and foremost: I thought Pharohe Monch first came out in 1999 with "Internal Affairs". That just goes to show that I have a lot to learn about hip hop. Now Stress: The Extinction Agenda has been a real unappriciated album by Organized Konfusion (Pharohe Monch and Prince Poetry). Some of my favorites are just so happen to be back to back, "Lets Organize" featuring Q-Tip and O.C. and "3-2-1" that gives a strong vibe for the album. "Why?" has a nice mellow beat and a hook to remember. Creativity would play a part in tracks like "Stray Bullet" as each member pretends to be a stray bullet that hits a little girl and crashes parties, a clear message in that one. I've always liked O.K. with their battle type rhymes that made a name for themselves and caused great sucess (see Equinox album). Like many albums that came out in '94, it was just overflown by the mainstream classics that were on the radio. This group had the lyrical skills to maintain themselves, unfortunately they were just heavily slept on. If you're a hip hop head, I highly recommend this to you.

Lyrics: A+
Production: A
Musical Vibes: A
Overall: A+

Favorite Tracks: Stress, Thirteen, Why?, Lets Organize, 321, Stray Bullet

For all those who profess their love for hip-hop, Organized Konfusion is your dream date. The group has a lyrical flow and prowess far beyond most of their peers and elevate, rather then debase, hip-hop music. Their ryhmes, while ferocious, are mature and intelligent. They are the anti-players, Puff Daddy's nightmare. It seems as if O.K. and those like them are a rare breed in hip-hop today, and for that reason you must not sleep on this album. Support O.K. and buy "Stress" because there are few acts as good as them today.

Its rare that i give an album a five star rating. Partly because my standards are high, but there are also no half-star ratings. That means you really have to draw the line on what is great and what is classic. But in the case of Organized Konfusion's second album, Stress: The Extinction Agenda, I think the five star rating is well deserved. Though not the most enjoyable album ever (at times the production becomes a little too gloomy, even for an underground act), that may be the only noteworthy setback, as it is certainly one of the most complicated records to speak of. That is a good thing too. The album has an intellectual edge that is at times unparalleled in hip-hop. Buy this album and you will be struck by lyricism. The obvious choices on display are Stray Bullet, Thirteen, and Bring it On. But there are others. Pharoahe Monch's now infamous line from Extinction Agenda, "who can you trust when a priest is now the beast", which may be the enduring question of underground laborers. Then there is Keep it Koming and Maintain, where Organized (especially Pharoahe) twist popular phrases and make them uniquely theirs. The aforementioned somber mood becomes movingly justified at the very end of Maintain as Pharoahe offers a subtle tribute to his father, who died during recording, by referencing to him on the last line of the album.

i am a hip-hop fan from greece and i've listened to a lot of rap albums.I especially like albums which have some street feelin inside like nas(illmatic),cnn(war report) talib kweli and oc to name a few.i was a pharoahe monch fan since his solo album and when i heard "STRESS" from O.K. i was so impressed that i was stuck with it for a long time and i am still.Pharoahe monch is one of the most prototype,intellectual,clever MC's i'ever heard and i like his style a lot...it's very terryfing....I hope OK bring us another joint just like it...We need a 4th album...

Borrowed the demo from the radio station I worked at 8 or 9 years ago and I'm still listening to it. This album is no mood lifter. It's better for a down, reflective day, when things haven't gone so good, and you need to remember that other thinking people have tried to articulate what this culture is doing to them. `Black Sunday' is a jewel. Sometimes, like on `Bring it on', the album reminds me of the old Brand Nubian.

you should have picked this one up already before i started typing this the ones who thought the 1991 debut was weak on beats well here is your answer

10 of 10 lyrics 10 of 10 beats

Pharoahe Monch and Prince Po....how much better can a duo get? This record is one of the best from 94, in my opinion the best year in hip hop. Pharoahe comes with ILL one liners, voice changes, and lyrics. While Prince Po comes with the illest battle raps and conceptual joints you'll EVER hear. That's not enough? Well then, beats by an in his prime Buckwild and Organized themselves should do it. If I had to describe this record's production in one word it would be: Hard. But that one word does not do these complex, and brillaint beats justice. As for the emceeing, INCREDIBLE, thats all I can say.This is textbook emceeing (nevermind that, this record ripped the textbook in half, and redefined the word emceeing). While not everyone agrees with me, I guess because it is not as widely known as other hip hop classics like Illmatic (which came out the same year as this gem),or Paid In Full. Again while others dont think so I think this is better than their first. I feel the produciton,while not as funky,was one upped on this effort. While the emceeing on the previous record was put to shame. (Not to scare you away from their first as it is a classic as well, but this one is simply THAT good.)

All in all: COP THIS NOW!!

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