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22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Almost Perfect, January 13, 2004
OK, I'm sparing with my 5 star reviews, and I don't like to gush, but Guru and Preme have earned it. I don't actually think it's possible to make a flawless album, because no matter how good you do there always has to be something you could have done better...but this is as close to flawless as it gets. Premier might not be everywhere the way the Neptunes are, but over the past decade he's proven himself to be the top producer. Guru has a wise-sounding, street-smart monotone and the lyrics to match it. And they've been a rap duo for over a decade, which means they've blended their styles perfectly. Guru was right to name himself the "King of Monotone." Although I don't agree with him that it's "mostly tha voice," he definitely works wonders with his on this album. Guru's voice on this album is thicker and deeper than his past work, making him sound ever wiser, and it has you listening to every word. And he doesn't disappoint. The subject matter on this album is very street. A lot of it, of course, is directed at all the "sucka MCs." The rhymes in these are nice, and once again, the voice carries him on, giving him a sound like he's more mature and superior to his other rap colleagues. Other songs deal with real issues. He rhymes about the degradation of hip-hop, enlightening the urban youth, his connection with his music, women, the way the system attacks street-dwellers, coming up as an MC in New York, struggling through hard times, betrayal, death...and the whole time, it has this "been there, done that" feel so you know he knows exactly what he's talking about and he means every word. Skill-wise, Guru is consistent and never has wack lines, but it's the words themselves and the sage-like delivery that are the winners here. DJ Premier isn't about making top 40 single beats. His beats are simple on the outside but really very detailed, with everything carefully sampled and hooks expertly scratched. What he does it play a loop that sets the exact right tone for the lyrics. Battle-type songs have harder, more up-tempo beats to them. "Friends vs. BI" and "Militia" are all-out bangers. Songs with reflective rhymes have reflective beats. Sad songs have sad beats. Once again, it sounds simple, but really there's a very distinct, carefully designed tone for each track. "Betrayal" doesn't just sound sad, but also hopeless...like there's nothing left to do but grieve. "Moment of Truth" sounds like someone coming out of a struggle. My personal favorite track is "Robbin Hood Theory," but I'm not sure how to describe it. Hopeful, maybe. But no matter what your favorite is, they're all excellent. There's really nothing not to like about this CD. The rhymes are all well-written and well-delivered. The beats are all well-designed to set the right mood. It's 20 tracks long, and they all have a purpose. No filler. The collaborations, from Inspectah Deck to Scarface, all have the right effect. You need this album. Closing comments: Mad props to Guru and Premier for staying on top of their game for 15 years now. Check out The Ownerz...not as good as this, but still tight.
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by Gang Starr 
