Search - Prince Paul :: Itstrumental

Ay, Paul...I got a job for youz

Shaquan Young | New York, N.Y. | 05/29/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"It seems that his depression and period of confusion turned out in his favor. Creatively, this is Prince Paul's best effort (since the 21st century started). You can just hear the insanity he went through while making these songs. Fun stuff. It reminds me of how fun Hip Hop used to be, back when we all didn't take ourselves so seriously. Then again, Prince Paul has always been a looney oddball, aiming shots directed at himself to personalize the tone of his humor.



The intro, and other MVU skits, are a satire of Law & Order (with that trademark theme sound). "It's a Stick-Up" is a playful tune, taking me back to the early days of his production work. I especially love the guy threatening everybody, making them take their stuff off. "Flattery" is a gem, which kinda has that Handsome Boy Modeling School feel to it (because of the instructional host, and the theme of a guy spitting some WACK game to a woman). The sample he uses is lovely. "My friend the Popmaster" has the same beat and sample-loop from Princess Superstar's album (her song "I hope I sell a million records by Christmas" or something). Hearing this song cracks me up everytime. The Black Italiano is back, and he's even funnier this time around. I can't get enough. "Inside your mind" is just plain sick. SICK I tell you! The beginning is just too funny. You gotta hear it for youself. Paul must've really been trying to work out his inner-demons. LOL The guy who yells the hook is hilarious. He says "...when I R. Kelly on your belly..." The instrumental track, "El Ka Bong", is dope. It doesn't have any talking or singing. The beat just rides. Beautiful. I had to program that track for repeat play. "Yes, I do love them Ho's" and "What are you afriad of?" are decent tracks, but they don't really stick out. "I Want You (I'm an 80's man)" is funny only if you keep in mind that its a mockery of those 80's R&B songs. "The Boston Top" is kinda catchy, as it is a reggae riddim, but with humor. "The Night My Girlfriend left me" is one my favorite tracks. The end, where Barman starts crying and spazzing out over his girl walking out on him, is ridiculously funny. "Live @ 5" is my FAVORITE track. People here may disagree, but I love it because it's different. Prince Paul plays all the instruments himself, and it has a funk/psychedelic/'70 rock vibe to it. Its a simple song. No vocals. Switches up only twice, but loops over and over again. Its groovy. Real groovy.



Paul wasn't kidding when he wrote (in the liner notes) that he didn't want to make an instrumental album that was boring. So, as a result, he made a "SKITstrumental" album. I just hope that he doesn't have to succumb to depression any more, in order for him to make a dope album. He needs our support, and we need HIM!"