Great CD!
R. Siegert | Champaign, IL | 07/01/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"For a "one-hit-wonder" group, this is actually a stellar CD. While "What Would You Do" and "Caramel" were the only main hits City High had, I'm very surprised that at least a couple other tracks didn't take off. As an avid music listener and enthusiast, this is one of my favorite CDs of all time. Each track is truly great and the lyrics have true, soulful meanings that hit me deep."
City High - actually 3.5 stars
Geminigirl | Philadelphia, PA United States | 08/06/2005
(3 out of 5 stars)
"I bought this disc as soon as it dropped in 2001, listened to it in entirety once then shelved it. I actually had it in my "sell" pile but decided to listen to it again. I don't know what was wrong with my ears back then but this is a very good debut cd from a group that we'll probably never hear from again. R&B and hip hop music in general have become a joke in that listeners are forced to listen to the same "christened few" while really talented people struggle to keep their music dream alive, put out quality music and satisfy music lovers. Unfortunately those that go outside the formulaic box are rarely heard from again after stellar debuts.
Claudette, Robby & Ryan each bring something different to the table, all can sing and rap adequately, more than a few of the songs stand out and the subject matter on their album is relevant to all.
That being said, needless to say after giving this disc a second listen, it's no longer in danger of being sold because I truly enjoy more than a few songs - Didn't Ya, Caramel, Best Friends, Sista, The Only One I Trust, So Many Things and the excellent Donny Hathaway remake, A Song for You.
I'm glad I wasn't so quick to give this cd away and gave it a second listen. If you are into r&b/hip hop and don't just write groups or artists off after one listen, you may be pleasantly surprised at how good this cd is.
"
This cd was and still is revolutionary.
Brian J. Halton | 05/13/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"There are many reasons as to why people think this group ended so prematurely. Some say its because they were not mature enough in understanding how to take advantage of their talents. I'd disagree. This cd is amazing, so amazing that a musical in LA which fundraises money for inner city communities has now been produced based on the cd. I wonder how many times such a thing has happened, especially since the music was made by a group of young and upcoming aritists. The music you wil find on this cd is some of the best entertaining hip-hop you'll ever come across. The kids were mentored by Wycleff, and such a professionally produced album allowed the talent of these kids, who can all both sing and rap extraordinarily well, to shine right through. And yeah, they may have come from a suburb, and thats not a city, but suburbs are basically cities, just a little more quiet. If anything living in a more quiet place allowed these kids the time to write, develop their talents and think about what they want to say.
We can all learn from the messages on these tracks, especially the most popular song "What would you do." The song is based on a real life experience and it has incredible truth in it. Real people similar to the single mother in this song are trapped in poverty today and living really hard lives. I read a quote made by one of the members of City High and he explained how its easy to judge quickly, but you have to put yourself in their shoes, and try to feel their pain. While people living tough lives shouldn't makes excuses for their ignorance, these people should also not be held responsible for putting an end to the problems. Its up to people like the group members of City High who were brought up in a better environment to help out. City High accomplished this by achieving world wide fame, and you might learn a little something by listening to their masterpiece. Buy the cd. Its worth the money."
Track Listings (14) - Disc #1