Album Review: Soul Assassins- Intermission

15 years ago view-show 1,646,766

soul-1_phixr1With a head count that rivals a small platoon, the Soul Assassins have literally built a name for themselves from the ground up.

Comprised of DJ Muggs/Cypress Hill, Alchemist [Click for interview], Evidence [Click for interview], and a gang of hungry MC’s—the collective based on the “Left Coast” returns to the forefront with their latest offering, Intermission.

Names like RZA, M1 [Click for Dead Prez album review], Planet Asia, Prodigy, Bun B, and B-Real [Click for B-Real album review] all make appearances on the project respectively, giving it a diverse feel, rather than it sounding redundant.

The assassination gets started with the eerie atmosphere of ‘Gangsta Sh*t’ featuring M1 and Bun B.

From there, Sick Jacken and Evidence take over on ‘Classical.Using a unique drum pattern and a soul sample, both MC’s flex some of their lyrical muscle:

Sick Jacken: “I’m at the corner street pharmacy/coppin’ medication for my artistry/that sh*t opens up my mind, honestly/my habit gotta have it/I just add it to economy/and black markets/spark it/and leap behind the poverty.”

Evidence: “I vowed to never leave the earth/without a statement first/without worship, they sayin’ it’s church/without a purchase, they sayin’ the words/without verses, I wouldn’t know you/for whatever it’s worth.”

The verbal onslaught continues with songs like ‘Do It’ feat. La Coka Nostra, the rock-themed ‘Good Evening LA’ feat. Self Scientific, the videogame-inspired track of ‘Like That Y’all’ feat. Planet Asia, and the Queensbridge representation of ‘Champions’ feat. Big Twins and Prodigy.

One of the standout tracks comes in on ‘World We’RE In’ feat. Cynic. Behind arguably the best produced record on the project; Cynic uses his time in the limelight to discuss the problems facing the nation, and how some of the bailout money should be distributed throughout communities in need.

The soul searching concludes with a supporting cast of ‘Gunshots’ feat. Alchemist and Chance Infinite, ‘Call It Like I See It’ feat. Chance Infinite and Krondon, the title track of ‘Intermission’ feat. RZA, Rev. William Burk, Planet Asia, and B-Real, and ‘Rep Yo Sh*t’ feat. P.C.P. (Sick Jacken and Necro).

Intermission is in no way a CD that you pop in to get the party started, but it is indeed a CD that you play if you feel like being in-tune with authentic lyricists, who take pride on honing their skills like a butcher who’s constantly sharpening his cutting instruments.

No frills or gimmicks, just straight Hip-Hop from top to bottom, how it was intended to be…

Rating: 3.5

35mics_phixr3

Comments

Comments are closed.