The sensei..............the masterpiece
gavin redmond | rep of ireland | 10/15/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Thank god when Atifacts broke up neither Tame one or El da sensei decided enough was enough!!!! Because quite literally, both of these m.c.'s are nothing sort of genius. I had managed to get a hold of every 12' EL released since the split and they've all been OFF THE HOOK. So when i got this album i was a little sceptical as to whether the man could emulate his previous efforts. Firstly, to set the record str8, he does and takes it up a notch too. None of the 12' appear on this except for "frontline"(which feature monch+prince po) as a bonus cut. The whole album from start to finish is amazing. He's created his own sound to rap and the lyrics are taken up a whole new level,(which i didnt think was possible). From the opening cut, after the intro,"relax" to "speakin'" to "so easily" to "eternally" and all the way to "summertime blues" to "in the lab"(which is my personal favourite) its just incredible. Bottomline if your in2 real hiphop, not the bling bling cr*p you hear on nearly every radio show this is for you. If like me you were really disapointed when Artifacts split you'll love this, the next chapter!!!! The sensei is back to teach you the way baby!!!"
Meditations on True Hip-Hop from El Da Sensei
SID | BOSTON | 02/13/2003
(4 out of 5 stars)
"When most cats think of New Jersey rappers they usually envision "rah rah" rappers like rowdy emcees The Outsidaz and the outrageous Redman. However, one artist who seldom comes up, though just as - if not more influential than Reggie and the Outz, is "New Jerusalem" rhymer El Da Sensei. El Da Sensei first came to light back in 1994 as one-half of the rap group Artifacts, thanks to their powerful graf writer's anthem "The Wrong Side of the Tracks." The dynamic duo of El and Tame One parlayed the success of the song into two well-received albums and several underground hits before burnout eventually caused the demise of the Artifacts crew. Since El and Tame One have long since split ways (Tame has his own joint dropping sometime this year in fact) El is more than comfortable dropping gems on his own. Obviously not pleased with the current state of Hip-Hop, El crafted his new LP Relax, Relate, Release to honor everything that was great about the old-school - solid rhymes and thorough beats - but sonically updated to appeal to the modern rap fan. Overall, it's as comforting to Hip-Hop heads as the meditative mantra the title comes from was to a stressed-out Whitley Gilbert. Track Listing
01. WSVN Radio Jump Off
02. Relax
03. Speakin'
04. So Easily
05. On And On feat. Sadat X
06. Eternally
07. Word On the Street
08. So Think Again
09. Focus
10. Bang It Out
11. Summer Time Bluez
12. In The Lab
13. We Bouncin'
14. Be Original
15. Questions and Answers
16. Fall Back feat. A-Drift
17. Whatyouwando? feat. J-Live and Asheru
18. Kaos Outro
19. Frontline feat. Pharohe Monch, Prince Po, Mike Zoot, and F.T. Having been around the block more than a few times, El has more than a few thoughts about his career and the state of Hip-Hop in general, and isn't afraid to impart them on wax. "So Think Again" has El reminiscing about his difficult beginnings in Hip-Hop as a b-boy to his current status as a veteran emcee. The dynamic traveling music of "We Bouncin'" allows him to tackle the popular `globe-trotting artist' theme, delving into the high stress life as an artist on tour. Then after by a scratched appeal by Kaos for more creativity in rap music on "Be Original," El has a lyrical conversation with a young head insightfully discussing the cause of the decline of the art form on "Questions and Answers." But make no mistake, It's not all "grumpy old Hip-Hopper" rap on Relax, Relate, Release. El Da Sensei makes sure to include a healthy dose of lyrical pyrotechnics throughout the album to satiate even the staunchest backpacker. Laid-back soul samples wash fluidly over "Relax," the song serving as a fluid introduction for the album, putting the listener into the proper frame of mind for enjoyment of this archetypal true school emcee. The hook speaks it all: "relax, think back to when sh*t was phat/ relax, relate, remember not long ago when we all knew what was the agenda." "So Easily" is another mellow song, with the emcee flowing effortlessly over a track sporting cool jazz bass, drums and pianos in between Kaos' cuts on the hook. Later, things get extremely funky on "In The Lab" with El spitting over a head-nodder with a thick upright bass, blues guitars, and tooth-rattling bass buzz produced by P. Original. Apparently well knowledgeable about the value of a strong ending, El caps off the effort with two killer collaborative cuts, "Whatyouwando?" and "Frontline." The former features fellow Seven Heads artists J-Live and Asheru, showing the true spirit of a cipher by playing off each others' short bars over a pulse quickening pace and woofer-inverting bass rumbles. Impossibly, they completely demolish Ñ Out of 7" on J-Live's jawn with this piece, proving that the Seven Heads camp will unquestionably be one to watch in the years to come. In contrast, "Frontline" is a smoother piece that feels like it was left off the original classic Lyricist Lounge compilation thanks to the signature jazz fusion production of Shawn J. Period. Bright jazz brass, electric keys, and walking bass grooves all simmer together into a melancholic goulash for Mike Zoot, F.T., Prince Po, and Pharohe Monch trading eight bar verses to season with their own distinct lyrical flavors. Though Relax, Relate, Release utilizes a wide range of production talents including J. Rawls, P. Original, Koolade, and the prolific Shawn J. Period, the likeminded production aesthetics of these underground mainstays create an extremely well flowing album musically for El. Each of these cats are certified crate-diggers, and it shows in their spectacular jazz and soul-brimming beats. Albums like this are textbook examples as to why abandoning vinyl for synthesized music is such a horrible musical progression for rap. To his credit, El knows haw to make the best of each of the vibrant beats, flowing effortlessly on a range of topics. Plus, collaborations with sharp rhymers like, Brand Nubian vet Sadat X, femcee A-Drift, and of course Seven Heads compatriots J-Live and Asheru help change up the flow and inject different flavors into the album. El Da Sensei's delivery may sound slightly dated occasionally by today's standards, but his experience goes an extraordinarily long way in composing a solid album. All things considered, Relax, Relate, Release is a sparkling example of what made the "golden era" of rap music so dang golden to begin with. Check it out."
Track Listings (19) - Disc #1