Search - Del Tha Funkee Homosapien :: No Need for Alarm

Classic hip-hop

mike | San Francisco, CA | 04/12/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"No Need for Alarm, Del's second album, remains his best to date (though I still haven't heard enough of his new disc, Both Sides of the Brain, to judge it...). Lyrically, he is unmatched, even today, and his flow is the most consistent of any MC out there. Though the beats on this album are certainly bumpin', it is Del's flow that takes center stage here. Released in '93, this album remains extremely relevant today, something that can be said of very few, if any, hip-hop albums. Del's style is unique and intelligent, Domino's production is tight and doesn't overpower the vocals, and the album's subject matter never drifts into gangsta posturing cliche: all Del's concerned with is rapping and showing off his skills. And I'm impressed. Check out Catch a Bad One, BooBoo Heads, Worldwide, No More Worries (feat. Hieroglyphics crew), Don't forget.... Whatever, they're all hip hop classics"

One of the best... ever

mike | 02/06/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I got this album back when it was first released, I was in high school at the time. Back then, most people had only heard Del's first full length release "I wish my brother George was here" popular for songs like "Mr Dobalina" and "Dr Bombay". What most people missed were the hidden gems included as B-sides to these songs when they were released as singles. Songs like "Burnt" and "Eye Examination" revealed a side of Del that strayed from the clowning funk style on the full length. Jazz samples took the place of funk and a much more advanced side of Del was breaking from his "I wish my brother..." mold. These B-sides paved the way for Del's "No Need for Alarm" Souls "93 til Infinity, and Casuals "Fear Itself". While all 3 of these albums are an important part of the Hieroglyphics collection, Del's "No Need for Alarm" is my favorite and still stands the test of time to this day.Del's still going strong, Hieroglyphics rock on..."

4.5 - Established Del as One of My Favorite MCs

Jesse Smith | 01/23/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I'd heard some Del before this album. I had the Deltron 3030 and I'd heard his Gorillaz stuff and I'd enjoyed it quite a bit but it didn't really leave me hungry for more. I had him pegged as one of those left-field rappers that sound like geniuses if you're in the right mood but are unappealing the rest of the time. What I should have taken into account was that Deltron and the Gorillaz were both concept projects, not representative of Del as whole. I finally picked up this album because I'd heard good things and was straying from hardcore stuff into more laid-back hip-hop. When I listened to it, I was feeling it in a way I hadn't felt an album in a long time.



Now Del is one of my favorite MCs. This album showcases everything he does well. He has a very distinctive flow, delivering all his rhymes in a catchy fun sort of way instead of straightforwardly. This would keep his raps interesting even if you ignored the lyrics...but if you did that you'd be missing out. His rhymes are always clever, largely consisting of battle raps but with some storytelling and other things mixed in. Again, it helps that he has a catchy and fun way of saying things. He also spices it up with a slightly more advanced vocabulary than the average rapper has. What makes him so appealing is just his general attitude. Del seems to look at the world in a very humorous light, taking even constant bullets flying and police brutality as just some of life's absurdities. With this style, he manages to be gritty and laid-back at the same time. His voice also deserves mention. Del is one MC who couldn't possibly be mixed up with anyone else, with his thick but smooth sound.



The beats match the rhymes perfectly. They consist mostly of funky jazz loops, with the old-school acoustic drums to match. Many of them center around a string bassline, but some include horns, piano, and funk guitar.



Many people complain that this album is nothing but battle raps. This isn't 100% true, but they do take up probably half the album or more. This doesn't bother me because I enjoy just rhyming for the sake of rhyming if it's over a dope beat and has a tight flow, but this bothers a lot of people so it's worth a mention.



As far as I'm concerned, this is a hip-hop classic. The beats are smooth but still banging and musically impressive and the rhyming is clever and unique. It doesn't get too deep or too hardcore, but to me it doesn't need to. I would recommend it to any fan of Del, Hiero, jazzy hip-hop, or dope music, period."