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Life is worth living... now.

J. Crabtree | Lubbock, Texas United States | 03/14/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This CD is an amalgam, a confluence if you will, of two radically different artists audio masterpieces. As everyone knows, "rap" music was invented in 1990 by Master of Ceremonies Hammer (or "MC Hammer", as he was known on the streets). The Hammer had tired of the drivel that emanated from the speakers whenever he turned the radio on. Hammer decided it was time, no... "Hammer Time", to make an album of music that would cause no less than a paradigm shift in the world's pop music scene. His Piece d' Resistance, "(yo)U can't touch this", garnered nationwide critical praise. The song was an infusion of street beats and quirky synths, and rife with Hammer's patented brand of bragadoccio and swagger. Perhaps Hammer's most stunning artistic achievement, "Have You Seen Her", is a tender ballad which showcased crisp beats and complex contrapuntal textures. As Hammer is also a high ranking member of Mensa, it surprised no one to hear such insightful and witty lyrics as "The girl is hard to see, like an unseen DJ". But Hammer knows that the formula for Success has a very important variable: God. With the release of "Pray", Hammer lets you know that he doesn't just have a closet full of baggy pants and a trophy case full of music awards... he also has a Bible. Well, as if having a disc full of Hammer's Sonic mastery weren't enough, included are tracks by his Protege, Vanilla Ice. Vanilla Ice began writing music under Hammer's auspices, and soon the student overtook the teacher. Vanilla literally turned the music industry on its head with "Ice Ice Baby", an obvious metaphor for the cold and unrelenting misery that everyone feels as they come to the painful realization that we are truly alone in this world. Vanilla also had impressive production skills, as is evident on his masterpiece "Dancin". The fast, schizophrenic editing and choppy beats have influenced such artists as Aphex Twin and Conway Twitty. Do yourself a favor, and purchase this CD as soon as possible. You will improve your quality of life by tenfold."