1st Review BEST OF THE WEST
Hip Hop 2 Def | Virginia, USA | 10/22/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Fashawn is a rare breed of MC. He's an extremely skilled westcoast lyricist. They're not scarce if u know about the real underground, but if ur on the surface it seems rare that a west coast MC can possess this level of skill. He's only 20 by the way. There is not 1 bad track on the whole album. Some may not be to your liking, but they are all well crafted and executed. Now its no Illmatic-reminicent debut like many are hyping it up to be. Its a heck of a debut though. In my opinion, it topped, yet is comarable to Lupe Fiasco's debut "Food and Liquor." It topped it because Fashawn is a better MC IMO. He grasps my attention more and doesn't get lost in the beat like Lupe. Like F&L there are no weak beats to speak of either. They all compliment the lyricism and don't make you ears bleed. The beats are good but keep the amazing lyricism as the main focus.
Instead of blowing you away with a whole different style, (IE Tribe's jazz-rap) this will remind you that good hip hop is making a comeback and will not be stuck underground for much longer. BUY THIS. That's all I have to say YOU WONT BE DISAPPIONTED.
This debut reminds me of the MCs of the past 2 yrs. If you like this, you will like
-Reks' Grey Hairs
-Little Vic's Each Dawn I Die
-Lupe Fiasco's The Cool
-Joell Ortiz's The Brick: Bodega Chronicles
-eLZhi's The Preface
-Brother Ali's THe Undisputed Truth
I've had one whole listen-through and it was outstanding lyricism with good, not excellent beats. The beats I admit could have been more exciting and/or memorable for such a debut. I was never an Exile fan after Below The Heavens. BUY IT
BEST SONG GOES TO: The Ecology
BEST BEAT GOES TO: Freedom (I love the Talib Kweli sample)"
This is how it should be done...
Berk | CA | 11/21/2009
(4 out of 5 stars)
"...I use that that title to ironically point out how new and fresh this is as opposed to Rakim's latest album. Not comparing Fashawn to Rakim in any respect except to say that both efforts are currently out and one of them sucks. Hint: I'm not reviewing the sucky one.
This is that fresh sound that hip-hop heads (not rap fans) are craving. Fresh voice, concepts, beats, and overall sound. I'm listening to this for the first time as I write this review and I'm blown away. It's not the typical formula rap that everybody keeps churning out hoping to get on the radio. Live instrumentation, soulful singing on the hooks, and relatable topics, and nice production make this appealing to audiences and it's not trying to be commercial. I wouldn't call it a classic just yet but it sure is like spraying windex on a filthy window. You can tell the difference right away. There's a lot of lyrical content about the day to day struggles of regular people. No diamonds. No drugs. No gratuitous sex or violence. I'm definitely gonna be checking for EVERYTHING this cat is putting out in the future. Hopefully he doesn't get caught up in the industry b.s. and try to "fit in".
On a side note. One of the main complaints about Rakim's album was the production. When you make music from the soul and for the art you get Boy Meets World. When you try to use yesterday's formula mixed with todays "style" you get hot garbage like 7th Seal. Boy Meets World has production that fits the style and flow. It's not DJ Premier or Just Blaze (and it doesn't have to be) but my head is bobbin'. This is what I expect from hip-hop. Great job Fashawn! Keep it comin'."
Classis Underground Album... Period
K. Miller | oklahoma, city | 11/04/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Exile on the beat is just the first great sign but Fashawn is what makes it a classic... I thought it could not get no better with Exile unless Blu was on the beat. So wrong. Exile is great producer no doubt. Exile's Album Radio it but this one proved it. Fashawn is a seasoned vet on every track. Commanding each track with ease and not leaving the listener bored. Great hooks, great beats and great lyrics... Tell a friend.. Please tell a friend and support Real Hip hop.."
Track Listings (15) - Disc #1