Search - Dizzee Rascal :: Boy in Da Corner

Dizzee, not Disney

Paul Gallagher | Melbourne, Australia | 10/20/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I can not believe some of the Yank reviewers on here criticising Dizzee's accent and demanding that he move to the states for a few years to lose his accent. Is this not almost as arrogant as ignoring the UN??? I admit that it is pretty thick but I can here every single word, and I'm Aussie! Of course his accent is going to be different - He's foreign, what did you expect???"

You'll be shaking your head saying "what the...?"

Joe Halloran | Westchester, Ohio United States | 02/11/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"When I first heard "Original Pirate Material" by The Streets last year two things occurred to me. 1: Wow and 2: this will never catch on in the states. Well, it may catch on here, but not anytime soon. In the meantime Dizzee Rascal was getting a lot of hype from the u.k. press but we in the states had to wait until 1/04 to hear his debut lp released in America on the great Matador label.
Now that I have the album I have to say I agree with all the advance praise I have heard on the album. None of that praise, however, will have you prepared to actually hear the album. Dizzee uses the same techno-style beats you here from The Streets but his flow as an MC is much more rapid fire and less clumsy than Mike Skinner's is. At times it is flat out unbelievable. His harsh cockney accent will have you saying "huh"(You'll need to look up his lyrics on the web). But despite the language barrier, I must say this is the most inventive hip-hop album I've heard in, well, maybe forever. Dizzee's lyrics sway back and forth from dark and confrontational to absolutely hilarious, and his delivery will keep the listener off balance. The first track "Sittin Here" is mellow, especially when compared to the rest of the album. The lyrics are a vivid account of urban decay and lost innocence. "Stop Dat", the second track, is a digital assault on the eardrums. The beats sound like an attack by some strange swarm of alien bees. "I Luv U" is probably the best song on the album, and it is a hilarious take on male and female players. It also sounds like a playstation fighting game. Bizarre sound effects are a recurring theme on this album. The beats on "Brand New Day" sound like R2D2 playing chimes. At times the aural barrage can be grating, but not on "Jus a Rascal", on which Dizzee's delivery is blistering(particularly the last verse). I would recommend this album to any one who likes a broad range of music. People that like mainstream garbage hip-hop with no aesthetic shouldn't bother. This is a different kind of bling-bling."

One of the great rap debuts ever

Matthew K. Putnam | Brooklyn Park, Minnesota United States | 01/30/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Boy In Da Corner, the debut album from UK rapper Dizzee Rascal one of the top hip-hop debuts I've ever heard. It's unlike anything you've ever heard and for that reason it will probably not catch on with a mainstream American audience. Which is too bad. The fact that he raps with a London accent isn't a fault. It's actually part of his appeal. Accent or not this kid can rap with the best of them. As far as the beats go they sound like they were made in a basement somewhere. Which I believe they were. Very minimum yet very infectious.Those with an open mind, who don't mind expanding their horizons should definately check this album out. It's one of the greatest debut to come out in a while."