Given the opportunity to sit down and chat it up with Statik Selektah only hyped my anticipation about this album. Personally, I have enjoyed all of Selektah's albums. The way he can capture the feeling of an artist's lyrics and flow with his productions is amazing. I've never heard a wack Selektah track, with a wack Selekt'd emcee on it. Not to mention, when I found out that it was a joint project with Termanology, I damn near shit myself with excitement-- but you can't shit yourself and look cool in front of famous people so I held my bowels that day. Question is, "Did I hold my bowels for nothing"?
Lets crack open the case, pop it in the player, and take the long way home...
The World Renown: One of the best displays lyricism and flow that I've heard in a long time. I thought shit like this went extinct with the dinosaurs, Tigga in da basement, and Lauryn Hill albums. Termanology murders this for more than 5 minutes. No Chorus, no pause, I don't even think he was breathing between the lines-- track should been called Michael Phelps Flow. He's basically spitting about lazy rappers over this horn fill 80's sampling monster of a production.
My poppa use to whip my ass when I was youngin, locked me inna dungeon and made me a crazy gunman,with the lyrics conned ya spirits wit the way I rap. That's why I'mma major act, bean town, maniac
People Are Running: The sample draws you right into this track. But the drums and cymbals in the background just compliment the way Termanology laces the track with his evil dark flow. The way he describes the images and the people makes the hood sound like a bad nightmare.
Things I Dream: When you hear this beat and then you see that M.O.P. decided to bless it, you know its going to be one dark, hood infested dream.
Goin Back: Did Statik really make an organ sound gangsta. Naw I think that was Cassidy with some of the illest lyrics I've heard from him in years. Or Maybe it was Termanology, lacing it again. Naw, naw, I think it was Xzibit coming out of no where and probably dropping the illest verse he's dropped in about a decade-- he went from pimping rides back to pimping tracks.
Show me yo titties, cause I believe in ya cleavage, and I'm promotin ya ass-sets, you love when I beat it"
The Radio: This is why I love Statik's work. When he scratches on a track, its one of the best moments you could have listening to hip hop. Termanology describes the way he felt when he first got on the radio and how the radio has changed his life.
Tony helped my jams Touch through the radio
Wedding Bells: Rappers need to take notice. This is how a street rapper makes a song that both genders can enjoy equally with out selling out to corny R&B sounding crap. Do I even have to say the production is sick.
You Should Go Home: Damn man. Statik needs to teach a class in how to make produce tracks that can appeal to anyone. Here's another laid back soul rap sounding track with a GOOD R&B singer on it. And Bun-B drops an ill verse about his girl naggin' him.
Tell Me Lies: Another laid back production with some beautiful sampling, full of cynicism. Termanology & Styles P proceed to make fun of artists who lie about how they living because of all the rap money they have. Nick name Mr. 1-Upper
Life is What You Make: Oh shit is that Saigon! My gawd is that Freeway! My girl DD would be trippin if she heard this joint. Saigon hasn't lost it at all, he still speaks blunt truths in his verses, and freeway can still emotionally ride a beat like no other. The production is pretty simple compared to previous but that only causes the listener to focus on the lyrics. Smart move!
Its Free, Statik Selek, Term, and Sai-gon, bitches use my pictures for they icons.....Just came back from Africa....And they wanted me to stay long, they was screaming Kum-bi-yay (Kumbaya) Freeway spit Napalm
Freedom: If you don't feel the way this beat drops, someone should slap the fool outcha mouth. Reks comes through with the keep ya head up/look how they do us flow about "our people". Termanology does the same getting into the roots of his Spanish heritage and why they do what they do.
Still Waiting: Having you finished rolling up yet. Good. You know what to do to this tracks with the smooth production, the perfectly placed samples, and the lyrics about what Term is still waiting for.
The Street Life: Time to pick the pace back up and tell a story about living the street life. Statik is showing his ass on this track. Its so much he does right with the way he puts the beat together. And yall know I loves me some scratchin!
Thugathon: Sounds more like a track made with M.O.P. in mind. That's why they're on it. If you miss the shit that makes you wanna throw on a hoody and rob someone, here you go!
The Hood Is On Fire: If there had to be one track that just rubs me the wrong way, its this one. And its the sample with the kids voices. If this beat didn't have that on it, it'd be a great song. But even with that, Termanology's no breath flow makes it a great song. He really does each verse off one breath.. Amazing!
Born in 82: The production is definitely the most stand out thing about this track. It gives you that feeling that the album is coming to a close. Termanology's delivery is a little jolted but the lines are definitely on point.
Help: This is how you end an album. The drums can only be described as some type of organized chaos. The melody beautifully projected on the chorus in such a calming sort of nurturing fashion holds as the perfect fall back for a person who's been trying to keep up with Termanology's message and flow the whole song. When an album ends like this, you just have to hear it again.
I have no problem declaring "1982" one of the best albums produced this year in Hip Hop. And when you take into account the perfected placed appearances and the way Termanology constantly amazes your ears with he flow, you can conclude this album makes the Top 5 list. Albums like this are always released under the radar and people never really pay attention to them. I hope more artist stand behind this album and push it. If we're going to save Hip Hop, then shit like this needs to be force fed to those who claim they love good music. "People are running; where are they going"-- to get this album I hope!
9.5 out of 10 ( 5 pt scale)
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