Search - Sticky Fingaz :: (Blacktrash) The Autobiography of Kirk Jones

One of the most original and emotional hip-hop albums ever

Caesar | college | 08/29/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Straight Outta Compton". "The Chronic." "36 Chambers". "All Eyez On Me". "Ready to Die". "The Marshall Mathers LP".
All of these albums are considered classics; they are innovative, influential, and so original that they've earned their places as some of the greatest albums of ANY genre. However, all are mainstream releases, each at multi-platinum status.
"Black Trash" should be included with these masterpieces. Not only is Sticky one of the greatest rappers alive (obvious in his verses with Onyx), but this album is unlike anything else ever released. It is a concept album, each song playing an important part in the overall story, and in between the songs are dramatic "real-life" scenes that are more than just the silly skits we see on nearly all hip-hop records nowadays. Songs like "My Dogz iz My Gunz", "Not Die'n", and "Lickin Off of Hip-Hop" are classic hard-core anthems, whereas "Baby Brother", "Sista I'm Sorry", and "What If I Was White" are dark social commentaries. And songs like "Oh My God" and "The State vs. Kirk Jones" are just so blatantly original and expertly constructed that this concept album rates up there with Pink Floyd's "The Wall" and Nine Inch Nails' "The Downward Spiral".
In addition to Sticky's heavy, harsh, and often insane (but brilliant) style of lyrics, we have "cameos" (although important players in the story) by other greats like Canibus, Eminem, Redman, and Fredro Starr.
The story documents a young thug through his harsh streetlife until he commits murder during a botched jewelry heist, and after serving 10 years, attempts to readjust to society (with often frightening outcomes). Each song is important to the storyline--and they are great pieces of music as well--so there is not a single "skipper", up to the deep and startling climax.
I think everyone knows that Sticky is the driving force behind Onyx, and with this album we can see the pure talent and originality that proves as much.
And not to mention that Sticky is completely insane!!!"

One of the most underrated and slept-on albums of all-time!

Crazy Jim | Massachusetts | 04/26/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Look as hard as you want but chances are pretty good that you'll never find an artist who can mix so many crazy topics into one album. Sticky Fingaz manages to speak on everything from ghetto politics to greed to religion and do it all with the same out-of-control insanity that put him on the map as the frontman of Onyx. While the idea of creating an alternate universe seperating a rapper's stage name and his government one is nothing new, Sticky brings one of the most unique and incredible adventures ever captured on wax while watching it all play out like a Broadway musical. As "Blacktrash" opens with the loud sound of the Universal theme blaring through the speakers, we immediatly know that this album will be like nothing that we've heard in a long time. Sticky Fingaz (a.k.a. Kirk Jones) doesn't just tell wild stories in his rhymes, he connects them all together for one crazy LP. He speaks as the "almighty dollar" on "Greed" and ponders what it would be like to be Caucasion on "What If I Was White". During the interludes, he has a heart to heart with his conscience (played by Omar Epps). When Sticky's Jones is finally nabbed for a robbery turned homicide, he is called before a court of his hip-hop peers including Redman, Canibus, and Rah Digga on "State Vs. Kirk Jones". As crazy as things get through out it all though he dares to slow it down and aplogize to all the sisters for the physical and mental abuse that men have caused them on "Sister I'm Sorry". The same angry guy with the crazy methaphors is able to pull off a type of sensitivity that hasn't been seen since Pac did "Keep Ya Head Up"."Blacktrash" isn't the average solo debut. It's a brilliant concept album that manages to possese both a great sense of humor and the occasional piece of social commentary while keeping it all in the confines of a story. In a time when rap had turned more towards soft club music and commercial party anthems, Sticky Fingaz managed to mold a classic album that returned to the storytelling days of Slick Rick. Unforunately, this may have been its commercial downfall. "Blacktrash" didn't get much promotion despite the fact that it was probably one of the few legitimately great albums, besides Nas' Stillmatic, to drop in 2001. Even if you weren't a fan of Onyx during their "Slam" days, if you consider yourself a hip-hop fan, this is an absolute must-own."

Real nice album, one of the best of the year

J. Storm | The Abyss | 06/16/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"On his solo debut, Sticky Fingaz brings forth a solid collection of tracks, meshed into a real nice storyline. From beginning to end, the album suffers from very few weak points.
State vs. Kirk Jones features an all-star cast, which creates the perfect courtroom setting on a bangin track, helping to elevate the album's storyline.
Other noteworthy tracks include Come On, Money Talks, and the poignant Sister I'm Sorry.
The one real weak point the album has is on What If I Was White, an awful track featuring an unfunny cameo by Eminem.
Other than that, "Black Trash (The Autobiography Of Kirk Jones)" is a bangin album from start to finish. Sticky's charisma and delivery are at the usual peak we've come to expect from him. And the production for the most part is top-notch.
If you're a fan of good, solid hip-hop, this album should be in your collection."