Album Review: 1982 (Statik Selektah + Termanology) – 1982

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1982

Seeing that we grew up off that Gang Starr, Pete Rock and CL Smooth, Kool G Rap and Polo, I think Hip Hop needs a new duo” exclaims Statik Selektah as listeners embark on a journey into the minds of two ’80s babies on 1982. Since Termanology dropped Straight Out The Gate in 2005, his name’s come up in nearly every conversation involving Statik Selektah. Aside from their ongoing business relationship, it’s apparent that the two work well together. Their chemistry has spawned some amazing tracks on which the two have helped elevate each other beyond the typical hurdles of underground stardom, as they’ve gained critical acclaim and steady rotation on the iPods of Hip Hop heads. With dozens of collaborations under their belt, it seems only natural that Statik and Term release a full-length album together.

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Straight out the gate, Term wastes no time, tearing the drumbreak to shreds on “The World Renown.” With a melodic bassline backing the Boston spitter, Term utters, “we came to reclaim the streets and kill it to say the least” before dispersing a marathon of syllables. The duo follows this offering with a song about murder entitled “People Are Running.” Termanology keeps it gutter as he describes “bodies falling from the sky, better get your umbrella/go and put your grandma in a bulletproof sweater/yo give me that cocaine/ so I can sniff eight keys – that’s about eight pounds more than the human brain.” This perfectly transitions into “Things I Dream” in which Termanology fantasizes about robbing Bill O’Reilly’s children of their Happy Meals before massacring a group of innocent bystanders. The guest verse from Lil Fame only adds to the track’s rawness, as he spazzes out over a grimy electric guitar sample. Fame returns alongside M.O.P. member Billy Danze on the aptly titled, “Thuggathon 2010.” Fame clowns on cornball emcees, spitting, “your LP was an upset/you should have named that sh*t ‘Press Eject‘” while Term proves his worth by getting the upper-hand with a hot flow over a bass-heavy beat. “Still Waiting,” a tale of passionately waiting to gain recognition despite years of hard work is amongst 1982’s standout tracks. Over a beautifully composed synth sample, Term criticizes the state of the rap game, pondering, “so guess I gotta spit subpar/cuz they ain’t feeling you when your bars is like Ra/-kim, Jadakiss, M.O.P. and Nas/they’d rather have you rap about the girls and the cars.” The vibe on this track is heartfelt as it’s one of the few times on the album that Termanology bares all for the world to hear. Another album standout is “Born In 82.” In fact, the instrumental is possibly one of the best Statik Selektah’s ever produced. The beat perfectly wraps around Terms vocals as he spits a massive amount of bars without running out of breath.

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The amount of guest appearances on 1982 is abundant, but not excessive. 1982’s sound gets spirited over Statik’s signature production on “Goin Back.” Although Term and Xzibit hold it down, Cassidy swoops in and steals the limelight with a barrage of quotables (“I rap, sell crack, get money, and cop property/you only buy houses when you playing Monopoly”). While “Tell Me Lies” lacks certain vigor in comparison to much of 1982’s Termanology takes the concept and rolls with it, proving that he’s capable of more than rhyming fast and spitting grime. He jokes about selling more records than Nelly, R. Kelly, and 2Pac, his debut going triple platinum and how he’s “so major that [he’s] got a waiter waiting for him in the back of [his] car.” Styles P takes over the second verse and entertains the listener with tales of “[he] paid the government to make a clone of [him]” over a early chipmunk soul sample. Frequent Statik Selektah collaborator, Saigon, opens “Life Is What You Make It” with a triumphant verse, before handing the mic to Term who bodies the instrumental before Freeway jumps on.

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Although Term doesn’t switch his delivery nor does Statik vary his execution on “You Should Go Home” or “Wedding Bells,” the songs feel inauthentic. Something about Jack Evans’ vocals on the latter may deter hardcore Hip Hop heads from sinking their teeth into it, while Bun B’s dope guest appearance on “You Should Go Home” does little to change the vibe of the song. Surprisingly “The Hood Is On Fire” featuring Inspectah Deck also leaves something to be desired, as the sample is well mixed but falls short due to the drum pattern placed below it. Yet even for their stammers on the proverbial tongue of 1982, these track are all exceptionally composed from a sonic standpoint, and perhaps serve to make the album all the more well-rounded.

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Termanology’s flow is easily his best characteristic. Often times it feels like he zones out and spews lyrics without actually thinking about what’s said. Therefore it comes as no surprise that the lyrics aren’t always as impressive as his delivery makes them sound. Nonetheless, he’s highly entertaining and on a winning team with the accompaniment of one of the best producers in the game today. Arguably, Termanology hasn’t sounded this hungry in years and his lyrics are rather consistent throughout 1982. Likewise, Statik Selektah’s production only falters at certain point on the album, which is understandable. Statik has sort of been pigeonholed as a producer that’s supposed to sound a certain way and he makes an effort to shed that label on 1982. Unfortunately, an album aimed such a core following of underground heads is probably not the best time to do something out of the ordinary. Although some songs are sure to get burn in the earbuds of backpackers, some are destined to be passed over by those with a distinct taste. Regardless, at sixteen songs deep, 1982 is a keeper and is packed with material that could likely remain as significant in 2082 as it is now.


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4mics

4.0/5

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