Album Review: "Tales From the Sick" by Prozak

Prozak is a hard MC to categorize. Picture, if you will, a rapper with the dark sensibilities of Tech N9ne, the twisted sense of humor of Eminem, the social/political awareness of Chuck D or Ice Cube, and a clear, deep-voiced, versatile flow all his own. Now imagine all of that skill packed into a rapper who tends to appeal to the Juggalo fanbase. Stay with me here, if you're not a Juggalo or a fan of them. Prozak is from Saginaw, Michigan; not far from Detroit, the homebase for the Juggalos' kings, the Insane Clown Posse. This combined with his dark sensibilities and affiliation both with Tech N9ne's Strange Music imprint and ICP's producer Mike E. Clark (Prozak and Clark had released an earlier album as the supergroup Project: Deadman, named Self Inflicted) make Prozak seem like a glorified Psychopathic Records artist himself, and alas: Psychopathic's Twiztid, Blaze, and even the Clowns themselves appear on this album. But please, don't tune out just yet: you might just miss out on a talented, compelling MC with a fantastic debut album.

1. The Hitchcock of HipHop
The album opens with a skit that sets up the album as a twisted horror film, as the viewers are locked into the theater and the voice emanating from the screen (Krizz Kaliko's voice) warps into a demonic-sounding warning to the listener to "refrain from hurting yourselves or others during the agonizing reappraisal of your tortured and corporate-owned fragile human existence." At this point Prozak launches into a brief rap introducing himself as the "Hitchcock of Hip-Hop."
Instrumental rating: 4.0/5.0 Stabbing piano chords reminiscent of the infamous violin slashes of Hitchcock's own Psycho punctuate the track, along with the screams of the theater's viewers in the background. Produced by Seven.
Lyrical rating: 4.0/5.0 A brief but telling introduction to the MC paints a picture of another Detroit horrorcore rapper, but wait...there's a lot more to it than that...

2. Fun n' Games
The first full track is not at all unlike what someone might expect from Slim Shady LP-era Eminem. The outlandish threats and boasts of violence and drugs are not only reminiscent of Em's lyrics, but those that are not fans of the Detroit MC because of his nasal voice and delivery might find Prozak's voice to their liking, with his deep baritone and clear diction, and very competent flow.
Instrumental rating: 3.5/5.0 The violin and synth melody do not rank this beat among the criminally slept-on Seven's best work, but they provide a decent background for Prozak to spit his venom. Produced by Seven.
Lyrical rating: 4.0/5.0 Prozak's delivery stands out on this track, with his very emotive voice and cleverly psychotic rhymes making for an enjoyable, if not outstanding track. This is not the kind of track that will set Prozak apart from his Juggalo brethren in terms of subject matter, but it does allow his lyrical ability to shine.

3. Keep Grindin' (feat. Krizz Kaliko)
Prozak clarifies his intentions as an MC on this track, explaining his multifaceted lyrical content and his will to create dope music that means something to his listeners. His lyrics shine over the rock-tinged instrumental, as he spits dope rhyme patterns like "some say I'm heaven-sent, behold this miracle/exquisite and spiritual, yeah, wicked and lyrical/the source of my material, okay now here we go/sometimes I wake up screaming and even if I'm breathing/I'm pleading for reasons to believe, 'is this Prozak or Steven?', I'm wheezing." Krizz Kaliko's soulful hook is the icing on the cake.
Instrumental rating: 4.0/5.0 The electric guitars and organ chords of the beat are a great sound, but the beat loops and tends to be a bit repetitive, holding it back from a higher rating. Produced by Legendary Traxster.
Lyrical rating: 4.5/5.0 Prozak's rhyme schemes are in top form here as he spits bars for days on the verses of the track. A lot of it is braggadocio, but the rhymes are excellently written.

4. Scapegoat
The track opens with some dope scratching and samples of news reports that describe the lyrics of Prozak and MCs of his ilk as problematic to society with their dark content. Prozak comes in afterward to defend his content and his freedom of speech, explaining a sentiment that has existed for as long as hip-hop has that the powers that be wish to use hip-hop music as a "scapegoat" for societal ills. Again, Prozak's lyrics shine here: "I'm the reason heathens quit breathing by bleeding from lesions/leading these demons to killing seasons and leave 'em grieving."
Instrumental rating: 4.0/5.0 The sinister strings that resonate under the lyrics erupt periodically into blasts of low brass, with minimalistic percussion. Produced by Seven.
Lyrical rating: 4.5/5.0 Prozak's commentary on this continued insistence of blaming hip-hop for society's woes is again reminiscent of Eminem, but with a less sarcastic, taunting overtone.

5. Go To Hell
Prozak continues to lash out at haters, this time simply demanding that, "if it's hate that you speak, GO TO HELL!" It's not one of the stronger tracks on the album, as its short, angry verses and simple, shouted hook don't quite demonstrate the depth of Prozak's wrath as other tracks on the album would.
Instrumental rating: 4.0/5.0 A low electric guitar riff and eerie background vocals are the canvas for Prozak's lyrical lashing. Produced by Seven.
Lyrical rating: 3.5/5.0 Not a bad lyrical outing, but a little too short and understated considering where a track like this from an MC like this could have gone.

6. Crossing Over
A dark, foreboding track concerning a friend who attempts suicide, but not from the point of view one might expect. Rather than mourning his friend's condition, Prozak instead attacks the track from the perspective of the loved ones that were hurt by the victim's actions, turning the tables as to whom the victim really is. The pained survivors see the action as selfish and hurtful and although they are saddened by what their friend has become, their disappointment and anger are the emphasis of the track.
Instrumental rating: 4.5/5.0 The atmospheric instrumental is built of a slow harpsichord, heavy drums, and dark, minor key piano chords. Produced by Seven.
Lyrical rating: 4.5/5.0 The angry mood of the subject is somewhat startling, but understandable as the listener takes in the backstory of the suicidal person from the point of view of the angered friend who must deal with the aftermath of his friend's actions.

7. It Was You (Intro)
The intro to "It Was You" is a rather unsettling old man singing a haunting song: "It was you, shadows on the wall/it was you, skeletons out of my closet gonna fall..." The quiet plucking of the acoustic guitar, blowing of the wind, and frail voice of the old man are reminiscent of Ralph Stanley's take on "O Death" from the O Brother Where Art Thou? soundtrack, and set up the next track well.
Instrumental rating: 4.0/5.0 The simple guitar picking and wind blowing are extremely minimalistic, but that's precisely what a track like this needs. Produced by Robert Bradley.
Lyrical rating: 4.0/5.0 It's a very brief track that is probably meant to be seen more as an interlude than a proper song, but is good enough to be treated as such.

8. It Was You (feat. Krizz Kaliko)
Prozak flows slowly, speaking in a low monotone, as he paints a vivid picture of being haunted by a mysterious man who seems to appear as a pariah, accompanying great traumas in Prozak's life, including the death of his uncle. Prozak describes the chilling thoughts and visions that the man inspires: "I looked into his eyes, and I saw genocide/I seen world wars, and mass suicides..." Krizz Kaliko's chorus vocals are equally tense as he seems to confirm the notion that this man represents all that is evil.
Instrumental rating: 4.5/5.0 Harps and guitar drive this track, as the minimalistic percussion brings to mind a very slow march tempo and provide the spine-tingling backdrop for the rhymes. Produced by Seven.
Lyrical rating: 4.5/5.0 Prozak's lyrics are extremely visual, and a little unsettling in their haunting description of the man, who is implied very heavily to be the embodiment of evil, perhaps even the devil himself.

9. Why??? (feat. Tech N9ne and Twista)
Prozak increases the tempo of his flow on this track (though not at all to the level of his guests) to wonder how it's possible that humans can commit so much evil, and also how our God can continue to love us in spite of it. "God, tell me what has now became of us/shame on us for becoming a race so dangerous," Prozak spits, before Tech N9ne and Twista attack with their signature rapid fire flows to echo Prozak's sentiments. Twista steals the show with his verse: "If you try to be a rapper on a level of a devil you get buried with a shovel and get cast out of heaven so in hell we can still wind up."
Instrumental rating: 4.0/5.0 A slow beat with a sad piano loop and a ticking hi-hat add intensity to the grim lyrics. Produced by Gee.
Lyrical rating: 4.0/5.0 All three MCs come correct on this track, although in my opinion the subject matter would be better handled with slower flows. Some of the urgency gets lost in Tech N9ne and Twista's triple-time spitting, although the lyrics of all three are great.

10. Run Away (feat. Krizz Kaliko and Tech N9ne)
All three rappers are on a hardcore tip on this track, spitting battle rhymes laced with none-too-subtle threats. Krizz Kaliko starts the track off with a decent verse, but is shown up completely by Tech N9ne and especially Prozak, who this time actually does use a rapid flow and some of his best battle rhymes.
Instrumental rating: 4.0/5.0 A distorted piano loop gives this a menacing sound; it's a little repetitive but suits the track. Produced by Gee.
Lyrical rating: 4.0/5.0 Tech N9ne and Prozak have excellent verses on here, while Krizz Kaliko's verse is pretty solid itself, in addition to his reggae-tinged hook.

11. Corporate Genocide
This section of the album has a handful of songs with heavy, hard-rock beats that are reminiscent of Prozak's work with Project: Deadman. This is also where Prozak gets the most political, so the heavy, bombastic instrumentals complement his rhymes in the same way the Bomb Squad complemented Public Enemy, making the lyrics come across even more urgent and aggressive. This particular track is a rant against the corporations that Prozak asserts run the world, oppressing those under them, and contributing to death in their own way. "Is it democracy or blatant hypocrisy?/using fear of captivity to fulfill financial prophecy/you're not a citizen man, you're just a customer."
Instrumental rating: 4.5/5.0 The heavy guitars suit Prozak's fiery intensity perfectly. Produced by Robert Rebeck.
Lyrical rating: 4.5/5.0 Political commentary is something it turns out Prozak does very well.

12. Bombs Away
Another heavy rock track, this time lashing out against war, particularly the wars in the Middle East, saying it's "all for black gold, the Texas tea." Prozak is even more aggressive in his delivery on this song than on "Corporate Genocide," passionately railing against the government's thirst for oil.
Instrumental rating: 4.0/5.0 Another heavy rock track. The guitars and heavy drums are great, but there are parts of the song where it seems to almost drown out Prozak's voice, even over his shouted rhymes. Produced by Robert Rebeck.
Lyrical rating: 4.5/5.0 The passion and anger Prozak feels are evident in his delivery, and while this blood-for-oil accusation is by no means an original sentiment, Prozak's lyrics are well-informed and well-written.

13. Holy War (feat. Mike E. Clark)
A track that was previously heard on the bonus disc accompanying Tech N9ne's Everready: The Religion and credited to Project: Deadman, Prozak again has words to say about the Middle East war, this time adding that the basis for the war in Iraq, in addition to oil, is over religion. Mike E. Clark's verse elaborates on this: "Put us to war, you make us kill all in the name of God/but worry about an unborn fetus, I think that's fucking odd/Can't understand how people still use religion to justify all their evils."
Instrumental rating: 4.5/5.0 Say what you will about ICP, but their production has always been excellent, and that comes courtesy of Clark, who laces this track with crunching guitars and some dope scratching, right down to the distorted guitar at the end playing the National Anthem. Produced by Mike E. Clark.
Lyrical rating: 4.5/5.0 The lyrics here are intense right down to the hook, and only Clark's brief verse prevent it from a perfect rating; it's not bad but suffice to say he's a producer, not a rapper.

14. It's Too Late Now
Prozak stays on his political bent, touching on a number of topics, from these holy wars from the previous tracks, to the ineptitude of the government and the Bush administration, the breaks that are given to the wealthy, and the fact that "the only time we come together is adds on Myspace." (Hey, Myspace wasn't quite dead yet in 2008 when this dropped.)
Instrumental rating: 4.0/5.0 The guitar riff rolls on through the song, driving the uptempo track and punctuating it with Beastie Boys-esque scratching on the hook. Produced by Mike E. Clark.
Lyrical rating: 4.5/5.0 Prozak attacks the first verse with a rapid, shouted flow and dense lyrical patterns, before reeling it in on the second verse and speaking in an all-too-calm monotone; the contrast is rather attention-grabbing and underscores the lyrical rampage of the first verse.

15. Insane (feat. Insane Clown Posse)
Well, here it is, the track that I warned you non-Juggalos was here. If your pride won't allow you to listen, you're actually missing out on a decent track; I'll never argue that the Clowns are great MCs, but it's an entertaining track that makes an effort to, as Violent J puts it at the end, "decipher insanity: when one cannot control himself any longer, who takes over that control?" It doesn't really do that at all, other than on the hook where Violent J muses, "Who controls the insane? It's automatic," but allows the three to kick some surreal, wild lyrics.
Instrumental rating: 4.5/5.0 A deep bass groove with subtle guitar chords dotting the track, and a vocal sample that repeats "insane!" on the hook. Produced by Mike E. Clark.
Lyrical rating: 3.5/5.0 Prozak spits a great verse to kick off the track, while ICP kick their usual "wicked shit." Neither of them craft particularly dope verses or flow all that well, but in this case their weakness becomes a strength: their spastic deliveries highlight their stated insanity (Shaggy 2 Dope: "I don't know where insanity begins and sanity ends/I don't know where insanity begins and sanity EAAAHUGGGHH!")

16. Bodies Fall (feat. Blaze, Kutt Calhoun, R.O.C., and Tech N9ne)
A posse cut that features great verses from every MC, although Blaze lags behind the others just a bit. Kutt Calhoun, R.O.C., Blaze, Tech N9ne, and finally Prozak hit the track in that order, describing how they "make bodies fall."
Instrumental rating: 4.0/5.0 Dramatic strings and more crunching guitars drive this uptempo track. Produced by Robert Rebeck.
Lyrical rating: 3.5/5.0 The verses are all good, but each MC only gets eight bars, and packing five MCs into a track that barely tops three minutes long makes it hard to really get into any of the verses.

17. Psycho, Psycho, Psycho! (feat. Bizarre and King Gordy)
Prozak enlists fellow psychopaths Bizarre and King Gordy to come down from Detroit and drop some sadistic verses. Bizarre's clumsy, thick-tongued flow doesn't prevent him from dropping one-liners like "This ain't Michael Jackson but I'm molesting children!" that will either make you laugh or shake your head (or both). King Gordy makes full use of the undeniable chemistry he has with both Bizarre and Prozak for a solid verse: "I'm an animal caged, an addict who's been at it for days," he spits before Prozak comes on to show them both up. Prozak's verse isn't a simple psychotic outing like the other two, as he speaks from the point of view of a suicide bomber who only signed up because they promised to take care of his family if he died for his country, although he makes it clear from the opening bars that he is still mentally unstable: "I'm a depressed, manic borderline schizophrenic/with plastic explosives strapped to my chest but don't panic!"
Instrumental rating: 3.5/5.0 Driven by its upbeat strings, it sets a decent but unspectacular backdrop for the three MCs' wild lyrics. Produced by Gee.
Lyrical rating: 3.5/5.0 None of the verses are phenomenal in themselves, but the chemistry between the three MCs and their wild lyrics is evident and it's a decent track.

18. Drugs
A vivid first-person description of the power of drugs and the powerlessness of addiction, with a hook resembling the chants of the flying monkeys in The Wizard of Oz: "Oh-e-oh-e-oh, drugs they take control, oh-e-oh-e-oh, drugs they are my soul." Prozak weaves a stunningly visual tale of what it's like to be an addict and the progression from gateway and designer drugs like ecstasy to the overwhelming power of cocaine and meth.
Instrumental rating: 4.0/5.0 Violin stabs and the march tempo of the track make for a hypnotic beat that draws the listener into Prozak's story. Produced by Seven.
Lyrical rating: 4.5/5.0 Prozak sounds like he may be speaking with at least some degree of experience on this romp through the mind of an addict, and it's a compelling cautionary track.

19. Living In the Fog (feat. Cypress Hill)
For a track about weed, it only makes sense that the monarchs of marijuana themselves, Cypress Hill, would join in, especially since the rock-tinged sensibilities of Prozak's music are right up their alley anyway. B Real, Sen Dog, and Prozak each tell about how they started smoking, from their first experience to becoming pros. The track feels in every way like a Cypress Hill track and the chemistry between the three is notable as well.
Instrumental rating: 4.5/5.0 An odd instrumental with an offbeat marimba riff mixed with subtle saxophone notes and tambourine; the bizarre backdrop is difficult to categorize or describe but couldn't be more perfect for the track. Produced by Seven.
Lyrical rating: 4.0/5.0 B Real's verse is vintage B Real, and while Sen Dog doesn't keep up really well with the other two, his verse fits in well too. Prozak's verse steals the show, telling a story of how his friends dared him to smoke in a cemetery for the first time and his paranoia conjured up some terrifying images.

20. Fading... (feat. Krizz Kaliko and Twiztid)
One of the best tracks on the album, Prozak is joined by underrated Insane Clown Posse proteges Twiztid for some dark, tense verses. Twiztid may share in some of ICP's shtick, including the clown appearance and macabre lyrics, but they are actually decent rappers and capable of real depth, as this track shows. Prozak once again crafts the best verse, displaying a range of emotion from sadness to anger: "Gonna desecrate you, never did trust you/that's okay that you don't like us, 'cause we fucking hate you!" Prozak rants before giving way to a notably dope verse from Monoxide. Possibly the best part about this song, though, is Krizz Kaliko's haunting hook: "It's darkness where I am, don't know where I am, I'm slowly fading..."
Instrumental rating: 5.0/5.0 The mournful piano and strings convey a sense of utter hopelessness. Produced by Gee.
Lyrical rating: 5.0/5.0 All three MCs are in top form and Krizz Kaliko's pained hook is once again the missing piece of the puzzle that catapults this track to perfection.

21. Good Enough (feat. Mike E. Clark)

"Fading..." gives way to "Good Enough," an excellent one-two punch of the two best songs on the album. Prozak is at his most sensitive and poignant here, as he raps on the second verse: "They say one's eyes become the windows of the soul/and they say the past will follow you wherever you may go/sometimes you gotta run away, forget the past and take control/or you'll never find peace of mind, or the perfect place to grow..." I could quote this entire verse as it stands as arguably the best on the album, but suffice to say if this review hasn't encouraged you yet to check out a Prozak track, I strongly encourage you to try this one on for size.
Instrumental rating: 5.0/5.0 A simplistic beat driven by its slow percussion, deep bass groove and simple guitar riff, the beauty is in the minimalism. Produced by Mike E. Clark.
Lyrical rating: 5.0/5.0 Prozak's lyrics are introspective and poignant, and Clark's simple chorus ("I'm sorry, ooh/I wasn't good enough for you") strikes the perfect chord, and it's a track most can relate to.

22. Under the Rain (feat. Krizz Kaliko)
"Under the Rain" puts Prozak and Krizz Kaliko back on a social commentary bent, as Krizz spits a great verse about the ills of violence and racism, and Prozak goes on a bent against racism that somehow falls just short of its mark, as it isn't quite as potent as some of his commentary on the early portions of the album. The gospel-tinged chorus ties it all together: "we living up under the rain, can't stop it from falling down," and closes the album out with a message of how far we still have to come as a people.
Instrumental rating: 4.0/5.0 Another piano-driven track that has a bit of a gospel feel, building into guitar chords for the chorus sung by Kaliko and Gina McFadden. Produced by Seven.
Lyrical rating: 4.0/5.0 Krizz's verse is great and while Prozak's doesn't quite hit as hard as earlier tracks on the album, he packs some thought-inspiring bars nonetheless: "They say that Martin Luther King, he had a dream/but a dream is all it was because race still comes between us/we never did learn, watching the crosses burn/in his grave he would toss and turn." It ends the album on a high note.

Composite ratings
Instrumental rating: 4.2/5.0
Lyrical rating: 4.2/5.0
Composite rating: 4.2/5.0
Prozak crafts an excellent debut album that can appeal to a wide variety of fans. It's far from a horrorcore album, though Prozak frequently cites Esham, Insane Clown Posse, and Brotha Lynch Hung as inspirations, and is something that fans of real hip-hop and even rock should be able to get into, as it's relatively free of filler and even the weaker tracks are completely listenable. The album sets itself up to be a horror movie on wax, but it becomes clear that the only monsters Prozak sees are society itself. An excellent ride through the mind of the Hitchcock of Hip-Hop that I highly recommend to any fan of good hip-hop.

Album Review: "The Marshall Mathers LP" by Eminem

Following the release of 1999's The Slim Shady LP, Eminem had become very popular and notorious in a very short amount of time. His lyrics were shocking and edgy, and the extra attention he received as a white MC under the tutelage of legendary producer Dr. Dre afforded him a spotlight most MCs would never receive. But anyone that thought this was as big as Eminem would ever get, or that he would be a one-and-done type of novelty artist a la Vanilla Ice, clearly didn't realize Eminem's skills and would be left awestruck at the media monsoon that swirled around the Detroit rapper following the release of The Marshall Mathers LP. This stands as Eminem's magnum opus to this day, as it remains his most personal, shocking, and consistent album. The cartoon violence from Slim Shady would be all but left behind in favor of an angry, aggressive, brooding Marshall Mathers, who recounted tales of violence that would seem all-too-real, and also spewed homophobic, misogynistic, and abrasive lyrics packed with punchlines and multisyllabic rhymes. This marked the birth of a true superstar in hip-hop the likes of which may never be seen again.

1. Public Service Announcement 2000
A funnier, more profane revisit of The Slim Shady LP's "Public Service Announcement." The warning goes out that "Slim Shady does not give a fuck what you think." This was quite an understatement.
Skit rating: 4.5/5.0

2. Kill You
The musical portion of the album gets off to an uproarious start, as Em launches right into the maniacal "Kill You." Em's rapid fire rhymes roll right through a number of topics, from his hatred of his negligent parents, cocaine use, choking a prostitute, raping his mother, Vicodin abuse, and "blood, guts, guns, cuts, knives, lives, wives, nuns, sluts"--and we're only through the first verse.
Instrumental rating: 4.5/5.0 I'm not quite sure how to describe this beat, but it's excellent. It's a spare beat with a stop-and-start pattern to the music. Produced by Dr. Dre, co-produced by Mel-Man.
Lyrical rating: 5.0/5.0 Em attacks the beat with ferocity and while the content may leave you dumbfounded, if you manage to analyze the rhymes, it's written excellently.

3. Stan (feat. Dido)

Arguably the most iconic song of Em's career (the only competition probably coming from "Lose Yourself"), Em spins a dark, stunningly descriptive tale of a psychotic fan who obsessively writes letters to Em, only to commit suicide when he doesn't receive a reply. The song is written from the first person point of view of Stan as he writes his letters, and the tale is embellished by pencil scratches in the background, as a thunderstorm rages ominously. In the third verse, Stan records a tape of himself as he drunkenly rants to Em while speeding down the freeway with his pregnant girlfriend in the trunk of his car. The verse ends with the screaming of brakes as the car crashes through the guardrail into the water. The fourth verse concludes the song with Em responding to Stan's letters, only to realize at the end that the maniac he just saw on the news was, in fact, Stan. The song makes prominent use of a vocal sample of Dido's "Thankyou."
Instrumental rating: 5.0/5.0 The bass groove and subtle guitar strums through the song dominate the musical portion of the track, but the real magic is in the track's use of sound effects, such as the pencil, the thunder, the rain, and the sound effects of the screaming girlfriend in the trunk and the accident. This soundtrack combines with Em's lyrics to tell the chilling story. Produced by 45 King, co-produced by Eminem.
Lyrical rating: 5.0/5.0 The seemingly odd choice of sample actually provides a wonderful contrast to the building tension in the lyrics of Stan's story to the tragic ending and Em's final response. As a storyteller, Eminem would never top himself.

4. Paul [Skit] (feat. Paul Rosenberg)
A brief phone message from Em's obviously frustrated publicist, Paul.
Skit rating: 3.0/5.0 Funny but short.

5. Who Knew
Eminem attacks his detractors with fury, pointing out the irony in protesting his lyrics while ignoring the actions of the kids whose rebellions they claim he influenced. He then proceeds to be as offensive as possible while encouraging further misbehavior. "Get aware, wake up, get a sense of humor/quit trying to censor music, this is for your kids' amusement/but don't blame me when little Eric jumps off of the terrace/you should've been watching him, apparently you ain't parents," Em spits, and there wasn't much anyone could say back.
Instrumental rating: 4.0/5.0 Another spare, bass-driven instrumental with Dr. Dre's signature keyboard sounds punctuating the hook. Produced by Dr. Dre, co-produced by Mel-Man.
Lyrical rating: 5.0/5.0 Em's lyrics are once again controversial but this time also very socially aware. It was hard to argue with his matter-of-fact attitude about his influence.

6. Steve Berman (Skit)
Eminem steps into A&R Steve Berman's office, only to be berated by Berman for the lyrical content of his album, and ironically claims that it will be impossible to sell, demanding Em "change the record or it's not coming out." Em leaves disgusted.
Skit rating: 4.0/5.0

7. The Way I Am

The mood turns angry with this one, as Eminem takes shots at everyone from fans to enemies and everything in between, refusing to apologize for being who he is. Venting about fame, his frustrations with family, and the expectations of the music industry for him to top his previous effort, Em spits lyrics of fury directed at anyone in his way.
Instrumental rating: 4.5/5.0 The dark instrumental suits the mood of the song to a T and features a looped keyboard riff punctuated with chimes and low guitars. Produced by Eminem.
Lyrical rating: 5.0/5.0 Eminem once again spits flame here at any target he can hit, and seems to show no signs of stopping.

8. The Real Slim Shady

The comical lead single features a similar formula to The Slim Shady LP's "My Name Is," with a bright, upbeat instrumental, a catchy, simple hook, and Em spitting humorous lyrics aimed at insulting any number of pop stars and tabloid targets.
Instrumental rating: 4.0/5.0 The instrumental loops a harpsichord riff that can get kind of old, but is also very catchy and carries the song into mainstream territory. Produced by Dr. Dre, co-produced by Mel-Man.
Lyrical rating: 3.5/5.0 An enjoyable, catchy lead single with clever rhymes but nothing much to offer in lyrical content.

9. Remember Me? (feat. RBX and Sticky Fingaz)
RBX and Sticky Fingaz join Em for a maddening lyrical exercise. RBX dives right into the track, with his unique flow and voice leaving a memorable verse, or at least it would be if Sticky Fingaz didn't jump on right behind him. Sticky spits, and from the sound of things "spits" probably applies literally, a vicious verse that makes full use of his harsh rasp, tearing the beat to shreds and leaving almost nothing for Em to wreck. Despite this, Em drops a dope verse as well, but in my eyes this will go down as one of the few times Em would be upstaged on any track, much less his own.
Instrumental rating: 4.5/5.0 Another dark, spare beat, marked with dusty drums and a deep bass groove. Produced by Dr. Dre, co-produced by Mel-Man.
Lyrical rating: 5.0/5.0 All three MCs are in top form, and I think it's safe to say we'll remember them all.

10. I'm Back
The return of Slim Shady is officially heralded here, and Em once again spits so hard that even the unedited version is censored (specifically the third verse, where Em opens with a shocking spin on lyrics from Eric B. & Rakim's "My Melody": "I take seven kids from Columbine, stand them all in line/add an AK-47, a revolver, a nine..."). This was a time when controversy spewed from Eminem effortlessly and never seemed forced or for show...these were the man's true thoughts. It added a slightly disturbing mystique to the MC.
Instrumental rating: 4.0/5.0 The rhythm guitar that forms the melody to this song is another dark, bass-heavy backdrop for Em's twisted sense of humor. Produced by Dr. Dre, co-produced by Mel-Man.
Lyrical rating: 4.5/5.0 Em never misses a beat on this track, with dense internal rhyme patterns and a little bit of that Slim Shady shock value.

11. Marshall Mathers
Eminem spits a ballad of the man they call Marshall Mathers, covering everything from his much-publicized legal troubles to the woes of being famous to a brutal half-verse dissing rival MCs Insane Clown Posse ("I was put here to put fear in faggots who spray Faygo root beer and call themselves clowns 'cause they look queer..."). Once again, due to his legal issues, some lyrics were censored even on the dirty version of the track ("which is it bitch, Mrs. Briggs or Miss Mathers, it doesn't matter, [your attorney Fred Gibson's a] faggot...").
Instrumental rating: 4.0/5.0 Acoustic guitars strum throughout the track to give it more of a "ballad" feel. Produced by Bass Brothers, co-produced by Eminem.
Lyrical rating: 5.0/5.0 For my money, the lyrics aimed at his mom and ICP rank this among Em's most brutal dis tracks, and the rest of the song is just as clever and edgy.

12. Ken Kaniff (Skit)
A disgusting skit graphically depicting the Insane Clown Posse performing fellatio on Ken Kaniff, a fictitious character that recurs throughout Eminem's catalog.
Skit rating: 0.5/5.0 This skit was just disgusting, although it seemed to hurt ICP's feelings, based on their numerous responses to Em's barbs.

13. Drug Ballad (feat. Dina Rae)
I was pretty tough on this song in early listenings of this album. I think I just felt the need to dislike a song on the album because it just seemed too good to be true. But I recently started listening to this one again to reanalyze it and I can't figure out what I didn't like about it. Em's very visual descriptions of drug use make full use of his malleable flow and complex rhyme schemes, with just a hint of cautionary advice and a healthy splash of Em's warped humor.
Instrumental rating: 4.0/5.0 The bass grooves of this track suit the quasi-celebratory mood well without distracting attention from one of the better rhyme schemes of the album. Produced by Bass Brothers, co-produced by Eminem.
Lyrical rating: 5.0/5.0 This track is layered with so many internal and multisyllabic rhymes that I don't know how I could give it any lower of a rating. The multiple possible interpretations of the real message of the lyrics (jokes, celebrating drugs, reference to addiction? all of the above?) add depth.

14. Amityville (feat. Bizarre)
This is among the grittiest and most grim tracks on the album, as Em spits psychotic rhymes referencing Detroit as Amityville and why you don't want to mess with its lunatic residents ("that's why we're crowned the murder capital still/this ain't Detroit, this is motherfucking Hamburger Hill!"). Bizarre joins the party, and say what you will about his awkward, mumbled flow, his rhymes are designed to shock but still be funny, and they do just that.
Instrumental rating: 5.0/5.0 A spare, grim beat with heavy drums and a guitar riff playing the song out. Produced by Bass Brothers.
Lyrical rating: 4.5/5.0 Would have probably earned a 5 based on the third verse alone, but the first verse gets the song off to a bit of a slow start. Bizarre comes in on the second verse with his twisted horrorcore, and Eminem murders the third verse.

15. Bitch Please II (feat. Dr. Dre, Nate Dogg, Snoop Dogg, and Xzibit)
Packaged as a sequel/remix to the Snoop Dogg and Xzibit collaboration, "Bitch Please," from Snoop's No Limit Top Dogg, Dre cooks up a beat that updates but stays true to his original instrumental, while Snoop, Dre, and X-to-the-Z drop in for some dope verses. Eminem picks up the final verse and shows up the veteran MCs nicely.
Instrumental rating: 4.5/5.0 The G-funk groove adds a nice change to the sound of the album up to this point, and its faithful interpolation of the original helps. Produced by Dr. Dre, co-produced by Mel-Man.
Lyrical rating: 4.5/5.0 All four MCs shine here, and Nate Dogg drops one of his signature rough-but-smooth hooks. We miss you already, Nate.

16. Kim
It was a number of years following the release of The Marshall Mathers LP before I could bring myself to listen to "Kim" without feelings of guilt and discomfort. This track is truly disturbing, as Em raps in a first-person, real-time perspective of the murder of his wife, also filling in her vocals where needed, pausing from the story only to deliver the cold hook ("So long, bitch you did me so wrong..."). The song serves as a prequel to The Slim Shady LP's "'97 Bonnie & Clyde," with the end of "Kim" being the replaying of the introductory skit from that song. The song is censored no matter what version you find, and is entirely omitted from the edited album, replaced by "The Kids," which I'll deal with later in the article.
Instrumental rating: 5.0/5.0 The piano loop of the song and mournful violins of the chorus almost sound evil, and the crickets chirping in the background throughout the beat, as well as other sounds, have a chilling effect, adding to the horror of the deed being narrated. Produced by Bass Brothers.
Lyrical rating: 5.0/5.0 It's not the most lyrical song from a technical standpoint, but the track is so visual as to almost be frightening. Horrorcore rap is nothing new, especially coming from Detroit, but this goes beyond horrorcore. Easily one of the most chilling songs ever made in any genre, and stands as one of the best among many examples of Eminem's twisted, tortured psyche.

17. Under the Influence (feat. D12)
Eminem's crew makes their introductory appearance on this track, spitting that psychotic venom for which Em had already become known, but each adding their own personality to the track. Unlike many subsequent D12 recordings, there is almost no verse that stands out as the best, as all the MCs are on their A-game, including Bizarre, who would frequently annoy hardcore lyrical purists later in his career. It's hard to pick a favorite verse, but if I had to, I'd lean towards Eminem or Kuniva.
Instrumental rating: 4.0/5.0 The dark strings setting up the rhythm of the track provide a very good backing track to the crew's twisted rhymes. Produced by Bass Brothers, co-produced by Eminem.
Lyrical rating: 4.5/5.0 Possibly the best D12 cut featuring all six members ever.

18. Criminal
"Criminal" just so happens to be my favorite track on the album, as Em's maniacal lyrics would be on center stage with some of his best lines ("Half the shit I say I just make it up/to make you mad, so kiss my white naked ass/and if it's not a rapper that I make it as/I'ma be a fucking rapist in a Jason mask!") The dark humor of the interlude skit features Em robbing a bank, swearing to the crying teller that he won't hurt her if she does as she's told, only to get the money and shoot her anyway.
Instrumental rating: 5.0/5.0 The hectic instrumental adds to the building psychosis of the track as it progresses, featuring snatches of violin to form the dark melody of the track. Produced by Bass Brothers, co-produced by Eminem.
Lyrical rating: 5.0/5.0 Eminem's punchline-packed verses are hilarious but at the same time, you regret laughing at them almost as soon as it escapes your mouth.

Limited Edition Bonus Track: The Kids
This song is somewhat funny with its semi-nonsensical cautionary rhymes about drugs, but the numerous blatant South Park references make it annoying and corny. It was originally only released in an edited version as a replacement for "Kim," but would be available on later limited edition pressings and Eminem collections.
Instrumental rating: 2.5/5.0 The beat is annoying and repetitive and sounds like a takeoff of a theme song from some stupid kids' show.
Lyrical rating: 3.0/5.0 In my youth and immaturity I found this song hilarious and brilliant, but the older I get the more it sounds like an outtake from Em's much-maligned Encore album. It's kind of funny, but also more than a little annoying.

Limited Edition Bonus Track: The Way I Am [Danny Lohner Remix] (feat. Marilyn Manson)
An industrial metal remake of "The Way I Am," complete with chorus vocals provided by Marilyn Manson.
Instrumental rating: 3.5/5.0 A pretty solid metal instrumental that loosely interpolates the original instrumental with some rock guitars added for good measure, but somehow manages to remove some of the anger of the original. Produced by Eminem.
Lyrical rating: 5.0/5.0 The lyrics are unchanged aside from Manson's additional vocals on the chorus.

Composite ratings
Instrumental rating: 4.3/5.0
Lyrical rating: 4.7/5.0
Composite rating: 4.5/5.0
An almost perfect album with only a few minor hiccups, Eminem would never be quite in this top form again creatively.

Album Review: "K.O.D." by Tech N9ne

2009 was a rough year for Tech N9ne. Following the release of his second Collabos album, Sickology 101, in February, Tech experienced a number of hardships that included the death of a nephew, his good friend and bodyguard having a heart attack, and especially the prolonged sickness of his mother. The emotional rollercoaster that Tech experienced informed the material of this album, which stands as Tech's darkest and most personal work, and also as somewhat of a slap in the face of the image Tech had spent several years building. Amid continued accusations of devil worshiping, Tech N9ne had gone out of his way to record with mainstream hip-hop artists and try to eliminate these notions, and this album was a deliberate middle finger to the haters that continued to doubt him, as well as an outlet to these building frustrations. An acronym for "King of Darkness," K.O.D. is the artist's magnum opus, and a must-listen for any fan of hip-hop. Divided into three sections, "Anger," "Madness," and "The Hole," Tech takes listeners on a wild ride through his twisted mind.

1. Show Me a God

Eschewing the usual trend of beginning with an introductory skit, Tech launches straight into "Anger" with "Show Me a God." The song was so powerful, Tech would later explain, that it needed to be the beginning of the album. It sets up the mood of the album well, as Tech begs for proof that "someone is listening when I'm down on my knees" and doubts that a loving god would allow the suffering he's witnessed in his mother.
Instrumental quality: 4.5/5.0 The energetic instrumental, punctuated with horns and driving percussion, is an aggressive track with just a hint of paranoia. Produced by Matic Lee.
Lyrical quality: 5.0/5.0 Tech comes out of the gate with lyrics of fury as he questions all that he's grown up being told. Anyone who's battled real depression or hardship has probably been there, and the album couldn't have gotten off to a better start.

2. The Warning (Skit)
The intro takes a back seat to "Show Me a God," as a bizarre, distorted voice delivers "the warning of the one who's coming" with an ominous message that the King of Darkness is on his way to take power and destroy everything. Get used to this instrumental, and remember it...you'll hear it again.
Skit rating: 3.5/5.0

3. Demons (feat. Three 6 Mafia)
The music picks up again as Tech teams with Three 6 Mafia, a group that's had their share of devil worshiping accusations themselves. This is a fairly strong track that brings up a theme we've heard from Tech before, his personal demon of lust. DJ Paul and Juicy J deliver typical Three 6 verses, and it's a fairly strong track.
Instrumental rating: 4.0/5.0 This is a good, dark instrumental punctuated with slow, high octave keys. It's somewhat reminiscent of a Three 6 Mafia beat, in fact, and suits the track well. Produced by Matic Lee, co-produced by Seven.
Lyrical rating: 3.5/5.0 DJ Paul and Juicy J are not, and will never be, lyricists. As long as you're comfortable with this, Tech delivers a strong verse to kick the track off, and Three 6 do their thing.

4. Blackened the Sun (feat. Krizz Kaliko)
Possibly the album's angriest track, Tech begins with a shouted intro at the doubters who he worked hard to impress and apparently failed. The song is Tech's way of firing back at the haters and letting them know that it no longer matters what they think, because he's going to do him from now on, even if that means being the darkest, most twisted, scariest rapper they've heard. Krizz Kaliko delivers an angsty, aggressive hook. This track includes the intro to "Strange Music Box" tacked onto the end.
Instrumental rating: 5.0/5.0 Tech reunites with Rubonyx, from whom we haven't heard on a Tech album since Absolute Power, for this dark beat laced with his signature low brass hits and paranoid strings. Produced by Rubonyx.
Lyrical rating: 4.0/5.0 Tech attacks this track with an atypical flow, choosing a tense, low, half-sung flow that sounds like a man on the verge of snapping for the first few bars of the verses, before launching into a half-shouted, half-growled flow for the next few bars.

5. Strange Music Box (feat. Brotha Lynch Hung and Krizz Kaliko)
The "Anger" section of the album also means home for the few upbeat party tracks Tech manages to squeeze in, although even these seem a little aggressive. This particular track is one of the less interesting upbeat tracks despite its powerhouse lineup of Tech, Krizz, and Lynch. All of them deliver good verses and the beat is a great club track, it's just not terribly compelling.
Instrumental rating: 4.5/5.0 Another brassy, loud track for the MCs to ride. Produced by Youngfyre, co-produced by Karbon.
Lyrical rating: 3.5/5.0 The verses are all nice although it tends toward typical hip-hop braggadocio, but it deserves props for getting Brotha Lynch Hung onto a club track in 2009.

6. Sundae [Skit] (feat. Sundae)
This is another one of the many useless skits Tech N9ne has throughout his discography. It serves as an intro to "Check Yo Temperature" as the femmcee who guests on that track, Sundae, leaves Tech a voicemail explaining how excited she is to jump on that track.
Skit rating: 1.0/5.0 It's just unnecessary. Sorry, I don't care what Sundae has to say unless she's spitting.

7. Check Yo Temperature (feat. Sundae and T-Nutty)
This is a much better club track for my money than "Strange Music Box." Over another rambunctious Youngfyre beat, Tech, Sundae, and T-Nutty rap threatening verses about how haters need to walk away when they see them unless they want their temperature checked.
Instrumental rating: 4.5/5.0 Once again Youngfyre's instrumental hits hard with its heavy bass and tinkling keys. Produced by Youngfyre, co-produced by Demolish Beatz.
Lyrical rating: 4.0/5.0 All three MCs deliver tight verses that might just inspire you to throw a few 'bows next time someone checks your temperature.

8. B. Boy (feat. Big Scoob, Bumpy Knuckles, Kutt Calhoun, and Skatterman)
An ode to the Blood gang, all 5 MCs deliver nice verses, although I found myself wishing for Bumpy Knuckles to wild out a little harder, but they are all shown up by Tech, whose alliterative verse uses nearly every B-word known to man.
Instrumental rating: 4.0/5.0 Another riot-inspiring instrumental from the talented Youngfyre. Produced by Youngfyre, co-produced by Karbon.
Lyrical rating: 3.5/5.0 Posse cuts tend to suffer a bit from not all the MCs being quite on the same skill level, and although none of the verses are wack, Scoob and Skatterman struggle to keep up just a bit. Not a bad verse here, just not quite an evenly matched track.

9. Hunterish (feat. Irv da Phenom and Krizz Kaliko)
The "Madness" section begins here, with the last proper club track of the album and the best party cut here. Tech and Kansas City, Kansas newcomer Irv da Phenom deliver high intensity verses, but it's Krizz Kaliko who steals the show with his bizarre hook and punchline-packed verse at the end ("I'm a sexual predator, better alert the neighbors/'cause they desperate housewife is just my flavor/Darth Vader, pulling out my lightsaber/and they like my hard candy, call it Now & Later..."). Kaliko also makes a comical reference to Digital Underground's "Humpty Dance," perfectly emulating Shock G's voice in his Humpty Hump persona.
Instrumental rating: 4.0/5.0 Heavy percussion dominates this track and while it's unspectacular from a musical standpoint, the beat hits hard and serves its purpose well. Produced by Youngfyre.
Lyrical rating: 4.5/5.0 All three MCs deliver hard verses, as if they were each out to one-up the other, but in the end it was Kaliko who would come out on top.

10. The Pick Up (Skit)
This skit is a bit of a spoof of the infamous "Diamond Joe's" interlude from Absolute Power (Tech frequently references that interlude) and sets up "In the Trunk." Tech attempts to hit on a girl by using his rapper status, but she upsets him greatly when she turns him down on the grounds that he's a devil worshiper...
Skit rating: 3.0/5.0

11. In the Trunk
Tech lets his imagination soar in the "Madness" section, as in this track he tells a sinister story of being dissed by a chick, who he then proceeds to kidnap and hold hostage in his trunk as he drives her all over Kansas and Missouri. "Fed her my catalog like Adderall," Tech raps, before finally abandoning the vehicle, girl and all. At the end she's discovered by the cops, delirious and chanting his name.
Instrumental rating: 3.5/5.0 A whimsical clarinet melody fills in behind the verses, while a violin whines on the hook. Produced by Rubonyx.
Lyrical rating: 4.0/5.0 A darkly comical story rap that fits nicely as Tech descends further into madness.

12. Pinocchiho
One of the more odd tracks Tech N9ne has ever done, Tech affects a strange accent as he raps from the point of view of Pinocchiho, a horny but apparently cannibalistic man who desires to fall in love with a woman and take her as his wife but can't stop himself from killing and eating every woman he brings into the bedroom. The opening lyrics in the first full verse are a sly reference to Public Enemy's "Megablast."
Instrumental rating: 3.0/5.0 Another strange instrumental with a heavy beat and synthesized harpsichord stabs throughout. Produced by Matic Lee.
Lyrical rating: 3.5/5.0 An odd but entertaining track. This would be done better as a more sinister, serious song called "Bite Me" on the Seepage EP Tech would release later.

13. Horns (feat. King Gordy and Prozak)
The best collaboration on the album, Tech unites with fellow Midwestern masters of the macabre, Prozak and King Gordy, for a dark track that actually served as the catalyst in several publications' refusal to review the album due to Gordy's inflammatory verse. Tech again revisits his lust-demon in the opening verse, while Prozak spits arguably the best guest verse of the album on the second. It's nice to hear from Prozak as he's been relatively quiet since releasing his debut album, Tales From the Sick, on Strange in 2008. Finally, the infamous verse from self-proclaimed King of Horrorcore King Gordy comes on at the end, as Gordy spins a tale of himself as the ultimate evil, capable of even making Jesus reject the Kingdom of Heaven ("He don't want the light, now I got Christ wearing black/see, I'm that devil on his shoulder/yeah I'm that scary fat demon that'll turn all you heathens into scaredy-cats/King Gordy the Antichrist, God-killer/I am before and after Christ, I'm called a sinner, motherfucker!")
Instrumental rating: 4.5/5.0 One of the more dramatic beats on the album, horn stabs combine with choir vocals and violins to create an excellent backdrop for the dark, insane rhymes the three MCs spit. Produced by Robert Rebeck.
Lyrical rating: 5.0/5.0 All three MCs are in top form on this track, and Gordy and Prozak offer Tech legitimate competition for the title of King of Darkness.

14. Interview With Jason Whitlock [Skit] (feat. Jason Whitlock and Krizz Kaliko)
Kansas City journalist Jason Whitlock calls to interview Krizz Kaliko, and the conversation goes south when Whitlock begins to ask Krizz prying questions about the possibility of Tech as a devil worshiper, as that eerie piano music from "The Warning" plays again...Kaliko tries in vain to defend his friend before finally hanging up in disgust.
Skit rating: 3.0/5.0 Tech uses phone conversations and voicemail messages a lot on his albums and they mostly fail to be interesting. This is somewhat of an exception, as any Tech listener will know that Whitlock's accusations are more than a little ridiculous.

15. It Was an Accident (feat. Alan Wayne)
Local rapper Alan Wayne stops by to drop the last guest verse on the album, as he and Tech tell rather morbid tales of accidental deaths over the eerie violins of the instrumental. Tech's verse tells a story of a girl he nearly killed in a bout of rough sex that got out of control, while Wayne tells of trying to impress his thuggish friends by packing heat, but accidentally shooting one of them. I don't know if either story is true but the song is a little unsettling either way. After the song itself ends, the track continues into an intro to "Shadows On the Road," and this intro officially begins "The Hole" section.
Instrumental rating: 3.5/5.0 This beat had to grow on me, but the sinister strings and mournful piano mix with the weird groaning vocals on the hook for a truly eerie soundtrack to Tech and Alan's rhymes. Produced by Seven.
Lyrical rating: 4.0/5.0 Both verses tell compelling stories, although I wish the song was just a little longer.

16. Shadows On the Road (feat. Krizz Kaliko)
The descent continues, as we enter "The Hole." The eerie, foreboding instrumental that began in the intro (at the end of "It Was an Accident") plays on while Krizz Kaliko sings a haunting chorus: "I see shadows on the road again, wonder if they're coming for my soul..." Tech describes his experiences of driving late at night and witnessing shadows crossing the road, as he searches for a reason for these unsettling visions.
Instrumental rating: 4.5/5.0 The instrumentals in this section of the album are among my favorites, as they manage to be dark, sinister, mournful, tense, and sad all at once. This song perfectly mirrors the ghost story in the lyrics with its foreboding strings. Produced by Seven.
Lyrical rating: 4.5/5.0 Another song I simply wish was a bit longer. Tech only spits two brief verses about the spirits that haunt him, but it's a chilling two verses.

17. Low (feat. Krizz Kaliko)

Another relatively short song, but it suits this one perfectly as Tech rhymes of being trapped in a deep depression, despite the fact that "I should be hype 'cause my life is so rock n' roll..." Beginning with a shouted intro from Tech's hypeman Scenario, Tech proceeds to rhyme in a low monotone even as he spits his quick flow, and the lyrics are of pain and isolation. Tech truly sounds "lower than low." Kaliko provides the haunting chorus: "I'm sinking again, I'm drinking again/drowning in water and breathing it in/it's easy to sin when you're bleeding within/needing to grin, cheesing, proceeding to spin/lower than low..."
Instrumental rating: 4.5/5.0 The fat brass punctuating the track adds a heavy, foreboding feel to the darkness provided in the slashing violins that cut through the verses, only to turn mournful and pained on the chorus. One of the moodiest beats on this album. Produced by Rubonyx.
Lyrical rating: 5.0/5.0 Tech's pain is evident in the lyrics, and Krizz's hook is excellent. The song is perfect lyrically for its purpose.

18. Messages (Skit)
This stupid skit serves as an intro to "Killing You;" consisting of two messages from random, drunk and horny chicks and then one from Tech's crying wife, and her message carries over into "Killing You," so I don't see any reason for this skit.
Skit rating: 0.5/5.0

19. Killing You
This track is much, much better than the skit that proceeds it, as Tech paints himself as a heartless adulterer that no one should love. "Why can't you wake up and see that I am killing you?" he asks on the chorus. The track's dark brutal honesty is a stark contrast to the self-pity on several other tracks, and stands out as "The Hole" section's most aggressive song. Interesting side note, the hook of this song was originally to feature Corey Taylor from Slipknot, but his vocals weren't sent back in time and Tech performs it himself instead.
Instrumental rating: 4.0/5.0 The violins and guitars on this track give it a feel of tension, anger, and frustration, perfectly mimicking the lyrics. Produced by Matic Lee, co-produced by Seven.
Lyrical rating: 4.5/5.0 The honesty in the lyrics of this section is refreshing but disturbing at times, and this is one of those times. Tech often speaks of his lust as a personal demon, but in this case he seems to be going out of his way to tell the one that loves him most that it's a demon he will never beat and to quit on him.

20. Leave Me Alone (feat. Krizz Kaliko)

The biggest single to be released from the album, this track sounds a lot more upbeat than the rest of "The Hole" section, but the lyrics are still introspective, as Tech explains that after all the hate and negativity he's received, at this point he just wants to be left alone. Krizz Kaliko delivers yet another excellent hook, and this guy can sound like a completely different person on every track.
Instrumental rating: 3.0/5.0 This was a track that really had to grow on me, as it contains saw synth arpeggios making up its melody. It can be a little abrasive. Produced by Youngfyre, co-produced by Karbon.
Lyrical rating: 4.5/5.0 I don't know anyone that can't relate to that desire to just be left alone now and then, and of course Tech's lyrics are always poignant and on-point. Kaliko's hook is the icing on the cake.

21. Prayer By Brother K.T. (feat. Brother K.T.)
Brother K.T. drops by to say a quick prayer for Tech. The positioning in the album is a little strange, since the track it introduces is the darkest, most sinister on the album.
Skit rating: 2.0/5.0

22. K.O.D. (feat. Mackenzie O'Guin)
And there's that eerie instrumental from the early skits again. The haunting keys that sound like music in a funeral parlor stand out even before the lyrics, and the beat builds as it progresses towards the song's epic hook. Tech spins rhymes as the King of Darkness mentioned in the intro, who has arrived at last to rule the Earth. Adding to the unease and creepiness of the track is Tech's second verse, which opens with his slightly unsettling backward rapping (don't freak out too much, what he actually says is "sex will be mandatory daily and nightly"). Side note: Mackenzie O'Guin is the then-seven-year-old daughter of Strange Music CEO Travis O'Guin.
Instrumental rating: 5.0/5.0 I don't think this instrumental could have been done any better. From the spare sounds of the piano and drums, building as the verse goes on to add synths and lower piano chords and subtle violin stabs, into the chorus, which adds alternating mechanical vocals with a chant spelling out "K.O.D."...it doesn't get much better. Produced by Seven.
Lyrical rating: 5.0/5.0 Tech's creepy lyrics and the somewhat frightening vocals provided by Mackenzie O'Guin complete the evil feel the track has. It's unsettling, uncomfortable, creepy...but it's also brilliant.

23. The Martini (feat. Krizz Kaliko)
Krizz Kaliko speaks the intro in a deep, husky, almost movie announcer voice, describing that "The Martini" describes the last shot of the day while on the set of a film. He explains that the stories Tech is about to tell are true before Tech launches into a sad story about a man named Sam, who was betrayed by the woman he loved when she decided she needed to see other people. Sam sneaks up to her house late one night to kill her and himself, and the verse ends, leaving you wondering if it happened. (For what it's worth, Sam is actually Krizz himself, and this true story ends happily; he realizes what he's about to do and backs out; he is also later reunited with and wed to the girl in the story). The second verse is a similar story of a player named Isaiah who falls in love only to experience almost the same situation. Finally, Tech tells the story of Brian, who avid Tech listeners will recognize as Tech's oft-mentioned best friend, Brian "B'zle" Dennis, who was murdered along with his wife by her psychotic ex. Krizz wraps the track up by singing the credits of the album.
Instrumental rating: 4.0/5.0 A fairly basic piano-driven track that allows the stories to take center stage. Produced by Youngfyre.
Lyrical rating: 5.0/5.0 Tech has dabbled in story-telling before, but this is one of his best.

24. F.U.N. (Fuck U Niggas) [Strange Music pre-order bonus track]
This is a pretty decent track; another directed at the haters, but it's easy to see why it was left off the album, as it wouldn't have a clear place among the other tracks. The title is pretty self explanatory of the track's content.
Instrumental rating: 3.5/5.0 The dark and sinister violins pulsate through the beat. Produced by Youngfyre, co-produced by Karbon.
Lyrical rating: 3.5/5.0 Nothing really special lyrically, but not awful either. The Strange bonus tracks tend to be throwaway tracks from the album, but even Tech's throwaways are solid.

25. Like I Died [iTunes pre-order bonus track]
Tech's demand to the DJs out there to "play my music like I died." The verses are essentially different scenarios where Tech might die. It's kind of a boring track.
Instrumental rating: 3.0/5.0 The violins and brass are not terribly interesting here. Produced by Rubonyx.
Lyrical rating: 3.0/5.0 The lyrics aren't bad and the song structure is somewhat creative but it's just not terribly interesting.

Composite ratings
Instrumental rating: 4.0/5.0
Lyrical rating: 4.2/5.0
Composite rating: 4.1/5.0
This would be almost a perfect album if it was trimmed of some fat, but as it is it's excellent and contains several classic tracks. It's definitely among Tech's best work, and although I don't wish the pain he's suffering on him, it produced some excellent music.

Album Review: "Dirty Acres" by Cunninlynguists

Cunninlynguists, with their equal parts clever and snickering-adolescent group moniker, came onto the scene in 2001 with their debut Will Rap For Food, earning critical acclaim and a buzz throughout the South that only increased with their subsequent releases. The undeniable potential of MCs Deacon the Villain and Natti and producer/rapper Kno (as well as part-time member Mr. SOS) was quickly recognized in their soulful, earthy, smooth hip-hop. With their fourth release, Dirty Acres, however, this potential met its full realization, as the group, currently sans Mr. SOS, dropped arguably their most acclaimed and important album, complete with guest appearances from Southern staples as Dungeon Family's Big Rube and Witchdoctor, Devin the Dude, Little Brother's Phonte, and others. Produced entirely by Kno, the three MCs rhyme over smooth, soulful, and funky grooves that hearken back to the best of old school hip-hop.

1. Never (feat. Big Rube)
Over a beautiful piano backdrop, Big Rube brings his spoken word style to a poem about the power and longevity of hip-hop. "As long as we breathe, hip-hop gonna breathe with us/as long as we real, folks can't help but feel us," Rube says, reinstating what makes hip-hop so powerful to so many people in so many different walks of life: its realism and authenticity. Sure, over time it has been warped and exaggerated, but hip-hop at its essence will remain "as long as we breathe."
Instrumental rating: 5.0/5.0 The piano melody is the only instrument on the track, leaving the emphasis on Rube's poem, but still manages soulfulness and beauty in it simplicity. Produced by Kno.
Lyrical rating: 5.0/5.0 I'm a sucker for spoken word when it's done right, and Big Rube is one of the best of this brother-genre to hip-hop.

2. Valley of Death
The first track to feature the 'Lynguists themselves, Natti and Deacon spit flames over a gospel-tinged instrumental again produced by Kno. Deacon in particular spits an incredible verse that I'm tempted to quote in its entirety just to get the point across: "Are you gon' listen? It seems the only sense you got is vision/and since we've shed our senses now the census steady slipping/and since we stopped our youth from praying senselessness is living," he spits passionately before a full choir joins in to sing the outro verses.
Instrumental rating: 5.0/5.0 The dramatic strings and gospel choir add a sense of urgency to the lyrics. Even with the poignancy and tension portrayed in the verses, it's easy for the mind to drift into the instrumental and lose track of the words. Produced by Kno.
Lyrical rating: 5.0/5.0 Deacon's verse is incredible on its own, but Natti's hits hard too. The rhyme structures would be great enough, but the social commentary adds to the intensity.

3. Dirty Acres
Over a haunting, guitar-driven instrumental, Natti and Deacon lament over the hardships their people face, from the deaths of loved ones to the incarceration of friends to the power drugs hold over so many. Natti's verse steals the show this time, as he rhymes about the connection between dealing drugs, using them, and getting locked up over them; he muses that "shit must have been aight at some point in our sight" as he wonders where it all went wrong.
Instrumental rating: 4.0/5.0 The soulful guitars of the instrumental resonate throughout the song before fading into a scratched version of Kno's hook. Produced by Kno.
Lyrical rating: 4.5/5.0 The verses are not as spectacular as in "Valley of Death" but the sincerity and poignancy shines through either way.

4. Kentucky (Interlude)
I sampled this album online for the review and wasn't able to listen to this interlude. I'll amend this when I hear it.

5. K.K.K.Y.

Deacon and Natti trade bars on a dark tale of their home state of Kentucky. "So through this bluegrass follow sorrow/blacker than the ghetto you fear," Natti raps over the dark piano chords and eerie background singing. Natti again tends to pack the better bars on this one but the visual lyrics of both MCs weave a compelling description of the humble country state's underground.
Instrumental rating: 4.5/5.0 The instrumental's paranoid keys and slightly quicker tempo than some of the other tracks on this album make for a somber, haunting backdrop for the two MCs' rhymes, and for some reason it reminds me of Stoupe the Enemy of Mankind's work. Produced by Kno.
Lyrical rating: 5.0/5.0 Deacon and Natti's fluid rhymes and seamless transitions, coupled with the similarity in their voices, are so smooth as to sound like one MC rhyming the whole time, and the lyrics are dark and visual.

6. Wonderful (feat. Devin the Dude)
Devin the Dude drops in to deliver one of his typically slick verses and although I'm not his biggest fan, the clever lines he drops fit nicely on this track, sandwiched between the 'Lynguists' verses. Deacon steals the show with his ode to a lovely lady that left him "gone off her features soon as I seen mamacita."
Instrumental rating: 3.5/5.0 This wasn't the best beat on the album, but it was a smooth, happy-sounding instrumental that is well-suited to a song for the ladies. Produced by Kno.
Lyrical rating: 3.5/5.0 Solid lyrically and while it's not the most compelling song on the album, the more upbeat tone is a pleasant change of pace.

7. Yellow Lines (feat. Phonte and Witchdoctor)
Natti's excellent jumpoff verse and Phonte's great closer make this song, another song for the ladies, listen-worthy, but I found myself wishing I was hearing Deacon on the second verse instead of the mediocrity Witchdoctor brought to the track. Phonte's subtle metaphors might go over some heads if you don't listen closely, and as a result his verse might sound relatively plain as well if you're not paying attention ("MacIntosh of my eye, let me take a megabyte," he rhymes). Don't let it fool you, though--it's a great verse.
Instrumental rating: 4.0/5.0 Midtempo, smooth funk abounds on this track for the MCs to rhyme to. Produced by Kno.
Lyrical rating: 3.5/5.0 I might have given this a 4 if I liked Witchdoctor's verse more. Natti and Phonte do their thing, though.

8. The Park (feat. Chizuko Yoshihiro)
This song is a perfect companion to DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince's "Summertime" as the MCs rap about a relaxing day at the park. However, Natti's final verse shows signs of paranoia as the day comes to an end and he wonders, "on this day, can angels party without Satan?" It seems to stand as a bit of foreshadowing for the next few songs on the album...
Instrumental rating: 4.0/5.0 The sunny tinkling of keys and soothing guitar melodies of the track blend with the vocals on the hook to form a warm, bright backdrop for the feel-good rhymes. Produced by Kno.
Lyrical rating: 4.5/5.0 Descriptive lyrics about a summer barbecue in the park provide some of the first true optimism of the album, aside from Natti's ominous closing bars.

9. Summer's Gone
Natti takes a solo trip back through the days of summer from a much different perspective, as he muses that it takes the passing of summer "for straps to stay in the home of us that ought to be grown." In this reflective track, Natti seems to echo a sentiment that 50 Cent shared in his 2003 track "Heat": "In the hood the summertime is the killing season/it's hot out in this bitch, that's a good enough reason," only Natti isn't glorifying this assumption, but wondering why this is the way things seem to go.
Instrumental rating: 4.5/5.0 The soulful instrumental makes effective use of a piano loop and a vocal sample to form the backdrop for Natti's rhymes. Produced by Kno.
Lyrical rating: 5.0/5.0 Short but very sweet, as Natti flips the light-heartedness of "The Park" onto its back to show the dark side of the summer.

10. They Call Me (Interlude)
Rather than a skit, the album breaks for an instrumental interlude with a vocal sample that serves as the intro to "Gun."
Instrumental rating: 4.0/5.0

11. Gun (feat. Sheisty Khrist)
Kno takes a rare turn on the mic, and spits a verse as potent as any his groupmates have laid down thus far, rapping alongside Sheisty Khrist about the evil of the firearm. Sheisty turns in a decent verse, but it ultimately brings the track down a bit due to his inability to keep up with Kno.
Instrumental rating: 4.5/5.0 Acoustic guitar strums give the track a bit of a Southwest flavor that complement the lyrics perfectly. Produced by Kno.
Lyrical rating: 4.5/5.0 Kno's verse is flawless, and lyrically Sheisty's verse isn't bad either, but the clumsiness of his flow bring it down a notch, as well as the fact that his verse is more of a lamentation on his perception of the unfairness of prison than the evil of guns.

12. Dance For Me
After a three-track absence, Deacon kickstarts this track with a sad verse about a girl named Emily who only wanted to dance, but grew up too fast and whose low self-esteem thrust her into the position of taking her clothes off for money, and when Natti takes the baton he crafts a breathtaking verse about Emily's journey and loss of self. A track that simply must be heard, and lyrically is among the album's highlights.
Instrumental rating: 4.5/5.0 A dreamy, beautiful instrumental that adds to the sadness delivered in the MCs' mournful rhymes. Produced by Kno.
Lyrical rating: 5.0/5.0 Natti's fantastic closing verse is worth a 5 alone, and Deacon sets him up very well, as the sadness in his delivery is palpable.

13. Georgia
The song that introduced me to the Cunninlynguists features Kno rhyming about his home state, while Natti tells the story of his mother Georgia, referring instead not to a state, but to "a state my mind was left in." Kno's verse criticizes the racism that runs rampant in the deep South and his thankfulness that out of all of this ignorance he was given the opportunity to be a better man; while Natti tells the sad story of a great pain he suffered in the past, marked by the death of his mother and his hatred of an opportunistic stepfather.
Instrumental rating: 5.0/5.0 Soul and a bit of funk abound in this smooth, earthy beat, which is among the best production work on the album. Produced by Kno.
Lyrical rating: 5.0/5.0 Beautifully poignant lyrics that capture the pain of one man and the shame of another in awe-inspiring fashion.

14. Things I Dream
The three MCs unite on one track for the first time on this album (excluding Kno's instrumental contributions) for a tense track brimming with barely contained anger. Deacon and Natti contribute powerful and dope verses, but it's Kno that steals the show, rapping about a depression that "is feeding me to these demons that lurk and feed on my essence."
Instrumental rating: 5.0/5.0 The sinister strings build the intensity of the verses so powerfully that the MCs literally finish every verse at a near shout. Produced by Kno.
Lyrical rating: 5.0/5.0 Bar-for-bar, this is the lyrical highlight of the album, as the tension and emotion thrown down by the MCs is more tangible than anywhere else.

15. Mexico (feat. Club Dub)
Had I been the one constructing this album, I would have never made this track the finale, and would have definitely reserved that honor for the fantastic "Things I Dream." It's not a bad track by any means, and the feel-good rhymes about relaxing and kicking it in Mexico offer a pleasant break from the intensity of the last few tracks, but this would have been better placed earlier in the album in my opinion, as it's a bit of a downgrade from "Things I Dream."
Instrumental rating: 4.0/5.0 A bright, feel-good track punctuated with pleasant guitar chords and a marimba loop on the hook. Produced by Kno.
Lyrical rating: 4.0/5.0 Relaxing, carefree rhymes to end the album on a lighter note.

Composite ratings
Instrumental rating: 4.4/5.0
Lyrical rating: 4.6/5.0
Composite rating: 4.5/5.0 The Cunninlynguists put together a truly remarkable album with Dirty Acres that avoids almost all of the mistakes many artists make in overloading an album with subpar guests, cramming in too many weak tracks, or overloading it with skits. The focus is all on the beats and rhymes, and all the members of the group deliver. Any fan of hip-hop needs to hear this, as it is a testament to the beauty and musicality the genre has to offer.