Search - Ultramagnetic Mc's :: Critical Beatdown

Ultramagnetic Mc's
Critical Beatdown
Genres: Pop, Rap & Hip-Hop, R&B

Track Listings (15) - Disc #1
1. Watch Me Now - Ultramagnetic MC's, Kool Keith
2. Ease Back
3. Ego Trippin' [MC's Ultra Remix]
4. Moe Luv's Theme
5. Kool Keith Housing Things
6. Travelling at the Speed of Thought - Ultramagnetic MC's, Miller
7. Feelin' It [Remix] - Ultramagnetic MC's, Kool Keith
8. One Minute Less
9. Ain't It Good to You
10. Funky [Remix] - Ultramagnetic MC's, Kool Keith
11. Give the Drummer Some
12. Break North
13. Critical Beatdown
14. When I Burn
15. Ced-Gee (Delta Force One)

CD Details

All Artists: Ultramagnetic Mc's
Title: Critical Beatdown
Members Wishing: 4
Total Copies: 0
Label: Roadrunner UK
Release Date: 7/23/1996
Album Type: Import
Genres: Pop, Rap & Hip-Hop, R&B
Styles: East Coast, Old School, Pop Rap, Soul
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPCs: 016861549626, 016861549640, 018344101314, 018344101345, 016861549602

Synopsis

Amazon.com

Part B-Boys and part Bad Boys, the Ultramagnetic MC's took a series of mind-blowing singles, including "Ease Back" and "Funky," wrapped them around at least as many new tracks, and released Critical Beatdown, one of the greatest new-school albums. Combining seriously dog-eared samples (James Brown's "Funky Drummer" appears out of tradition, more than necessity, on "Give the Drummer Some," and the Meters' "Look-Ka Py Py" provides the backbone for "Ease Back") with very clipped rhyme patterns from the Kool Moe Dee/Big Daddy Kane school of linguistics, Ultra's style lives on in everyone from 2Pac to Company Flow. Production is tight, and the two-headed leadership of Ced-Gee and lunatic genius Kool Keith (just try to decode his astral cipher on "Ain't It Good to You") makes this album shoulders above other new-school heads. --Todd Levin

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CD Reviews

Something like George Jetson in Bedrock.

Cre8tive Critic | Winston Salem NC | 06/17/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you thought the likes of Canibus, Chino XL, or Pharoahe Monch were the summit of the "ahead of their time" hip-hop mountain, then you obviously missed out on the Ultramagnetic MC's and their early rap contributions. The Ultramagnetic MC's highly respected world-shattering classic Critical Beatdown, was THE first official new-school hip-hop album, in an old-school era. With Ced-Gee's revolutionary use of the drum machine, and of course Kool Keith's off-beat rhyme style, fully equipped with lyrics that clearly proclaim Kool Keith the one truly ahead of their time if there ever was one.From beginning to end, Critical Beatdown freezes all other early rap classics, and anything afterwards. A classic of classics. Truly, a masterpiece, among masterpieces. If you thought Big Daddy Kane, Rakim, or even the hip-hop philosopher himself, KRS-One, deserve more acclaim than Kool Keith and the Ultramagnetic MC's for their early hip-hop achievements, do yourself a favor, buy Critical Beatdown, and think again."

One of the reasons why '88 was hip-hop's greatest year

marc83 | 07/07/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you love old skool '80s hip-hop you need to own this.Kool Keith proves himself to be one of the all time great MCs with this album.If you're getting into Keith then you should start with Critical Beatdown,then move onto Dr.Octagon,Dr.Dooom,Sex Style and Black Elvis.Ced Gee is a great producer and he does a lot of innovative tracks throughout this album,especially 'Ego Trippin',which disses Run DMC for their dismissal of underground hip-hop.Keith's freestyling on that track is incredible.This album is underrated as hell but as you listen to it you realise how influential it is.Dr. Dre utilised the beat from 'Funky' on 'California Love',Public Enemy swiped the beat from 'Ease Back' on 'Terminator X To The Edge Of Panic" and the awesome 'Give The Drummer Some' was sampled by the Prodigy on 'Smack My B!tch Up'
This album is a must own and as Keith says on'Ease Back';"Ain't that somethin'/I'm the best MC in the whole wide world".Not the best maybe but damn close."

One of the Greatest

MikeGibbons | Orleans, MA | 06/21/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Some people think that Kool Keith is totally jocking himself, and that his self praise isn't warranted. These people are wrong, and this album alone proves that Keith can jock himself for the rest of his life. This is one of the most slept-on classic hip hop albums ever made, and it influenced 99% of underground hip hop from 1988 on, even though most of the people who were influenced by it don't even realize that they were. From the beats, with Ced Gee's manipulation on the SP 1200, to Kool Keith's mind bogglingly abstract rhyming, this is an end to end banger, no doubt. If you consider yourself a fan of Real Hip Hop, and you don't have this album yet, punch yourself real hard, then go out and get it. A Classic!"