R. MARK Plummer | From the Former USA | 07/26/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"First let me tell you who's talking here: I'm a 58 year-old white dude, with a university degree - I'm middle aged and middle class. I live in 'the sprawl' near major US port city. I have a full time job, a wife and a mortgage. The pigs have never busted me or my head with a nightstick and I have never been an overnight guest in their facilities. i.e. my life experiences would not make me a likely candidate to relate to this particular CD. There are a few hip-hop, rap, DJ and drum'n'bass CDs in my music library, for example: Ludacris, Outcast, Dub Syndicate, DJ Crush, DJ Spooky, Michael Franti & Spearhead, MC Solaar, Postive Black Soul. and misc. others. So this form is not alien to my aural networks. Now - that being said, let's get on widdit: Paris, the P-Dawg is the MAN! I have Paris' 'Sonic Jihad' and 'Sleeping with the Enemy' discs. Jihad just gets a lot of spins around here. I made a copy of it for my LBU (Lovely Bride Unit) to play in her ride when she took a recent road trip to visit the fam. I didn't even tell her I loaded it in the CD player. When she returned two weeks later she said: "Damn that Paris CD is EXCELLENT! I played it the whole trip and even played it for my nephews!" (They're highschool age and think Eminem is way cool. ) They dug it too. At first the political content took them by surprise because they don't get to hear too much of that where they live in 'middle America.' But right away they recognized the music and top shelf and by the 2nd & 3rd spin there were down with the program!
I have played this CD for most of my buds and everyone is in agreement, Paris deserves a wider audience BOTH for his music AND for the CONTENT of his lyrics! I cannot emphasize enough the importance of his lyrics and the insightful manner in which he presents his message(s).
If you like hip hop and have not heard Paris.. by ALL means get yo hands upon this disc! And play it loud.
IF you have not paid much attention to hip hop yet (like where have you been?) then get your hands upon this disc! And play it loud.
If you are a Card-Carrying Republican from Iowa - most definitely get your hands upon this disc! Wrap your mind around it and hold on.
I'm ready to nominate Paris for President. And to borrow a lyric from the funk miester George Clinton: "Paint the White House Black!"
Play this a few times - you WILL be impressed! And like me you'll be asking: Why haven't more peeps heard Paris!"
Dead On It
essence_uk | 11/24/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Paris' return sees him in top lyrical form as always and in 2003, the year of the "War On Terror" and illegal invasions he couldn't be more timely. Over the course of the sixteen tracks (Featuring cameos by the legendary Chuck D and excellent Dead Prez) he manages to tackle many of the real issues behind the spin. Aside from the obvious, he covers everything from the unspoken evils of diamonds to the armed forces' exploitation/enlistment of the urban poor. He rarely falls into cliche and delivers the messages with intelligent and insightful poeticism. This is the most important album of 2003 (in any genre) and easily sweeps aside the pathetic "artists" who form todays excuse for hip-hop. A must buy for the conscious listener."
Paris has returned with a vengeance...
Timothy A. Nelson | Hopkins, MN United States | 07/04/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Sonic Jihad is the fifth LP from Paris. This LP is simply one of the best albums that he has ever done. The introduction on the disc sets you in a mindstate that you really do need to be in when you listen to this album. If you are close-minded or love the Bush family and the Government, go ahead and buy it but don't bother listening to it for it would end up upsetting you to the extreme. I know some of ya'll get my point right there. ($) But if you have been a long-time Paris supporter or do not like the Bush family and the Government, or if you question the liable persons for 9/11 you need this disc, bottom line. This is what it boils down to: if you are sick and tired of listening to the "Bling-Bling", "Pimpin' The Women" scenario, the United States Government, the Bush camp, and are looking for a change that takes out the scandalous actions of the United States Government & the Bush family with fist pounding fury all at once go ahead and place your order immediately. Check out Paris on the World Wide Web @ www.GuerrillaFunk.com. Thank you for your time & Peace."
Unrelentless and unrepenting
Oscar Curtis | Baltimore, MD United States | 10/10/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Bro Paris has surely done it this time.Starting with the CD cover that has the jet flying into the White House,you can imagine what he's going to say.His beats are so tight on this CD that I'd say that he gives Dr Dre a run for his money...the commentary on this CD about Bush,the government and the rap industry is just blistering.Paris never has and never will "bite his tongue"If you want to hear true hip hop that speaks truth to power pick up this CD.If you want to hear watered down,bling bling,commercial rap...well,don't get this cd.This is for mature audiences only.And it won't be played on the radio,that's for sure!Dead Prez,Kam and Public Enemy joins Paris on four of the cuts.Must have CD for your collection(...)"
Ooh Papi of Playahata says...
Oscar Curtis | 12/08/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The key to knowing if an album is dope: It has over 14 tracks and you do not skip any of them after listening to it over 5 times. This album has 16 tracks and I didn't skip any, what a major accomplishment in 2003. Paris has done something huge. I only hope that this classic won't be treated like a classic GO-GO Music album and ignored. Those of us in the D.C. area feel me on the Go-Go Music treatment.If you want to know where all the great West Coast artist have gone, look no further. I don't know if Paris is actually considered a great west coast artist by the general public but this album is definitely great, it's going to be a collectors item. This is actually the first Paris album I ever brought and I had not really heard anything from him since 1992' when his name was in the media all the time due to the controversy involving his album's artwork and President George Bush Senior. He has had music released between that time and now, so I am feeling like I must have been missing out on something and I might have to go to his website and order those missed albums. The content on this album is amazingly filled with current historical anecdotes, its academic, political and funky. Nothing soft about it in any aspect so I had to make sure that I purchased the clean version with the bleeping of the curse words - I have kids you know. If you believe in conspiracy theories, you realize that after its official September 23rd release Paris' might just disappear. When the rap intellectuals of today start labeling albums as classic and noting them for historical rap relevance I predict Sonic Jihad will be an album they speak about. If they don't mention it they will be regarded as "suspect" in my book. Most of the album has a real serious west coast feeling but its the type of West coast feeling that everybody used to love when Ice Cube made Death Certificate. I was looking for something to hate on with the album but I couldn't find anything in any of the 16 tracks. I had forgotten that an album could be so entertaining and educational at the same time. All the information in his Guerrilla News Network- Aftermath: Unanswered Questions is on this album in rap form and more. The best thing is that this is more than just a political rap album. The quotes and artwork on the CD alone are worth the purchase. Its a good day for rap music. My Favorites are "Evil", "What Would You Do", "AWOL", "Ave Bushani" and "Split Milk"."