Post by Dark 7 Invader on Jul 21, 2005 13:37:08 GMT -5
Release Date: May, 2001
Label: Fifth Angel
MY REVIEWS:
If you weren't already informed about Remedy, then you probably weren't aware that he was part of the Wu. His debut album "The Genuine Article" bears none of the traditional Wu logos which have been familiar on so many other Wu releases. So an outsider would have no clue as to his rap affiliation. However, this album has been a long time coming since Remedy was first signed to the Wu back in 1997. But when you're out to produce the entire album yourself, release it on your own label and perform on every song, then the wait is understandable.
On "The Genuine Article" Remedy gives listeners an insight into hip hop from a "white kid's" perspective and prepping us on the teachings of Judaism which is a welcome change. Make no mistake, this guy's got talent. His rhymes extend further than the usual rap macho-isms and his beats are diverse and inspired. Using a sample from Pink Floyd's "Another Brick In The Wall", the album commences with "Education". The Children of the World, which sound like a kid's choir, sings the hook "We Don't Need No Education / We don't need no thought control". Together with Wu-Tang alumni RZA, Remedy bestows the listener with a lesson into the American education system.
"Fallen Angels" is a dedication to the fake MC's, sh*t talkers and wannabes (ie. the Fallen Angels). Strange theme, but in the end Remedy tells us that love is still love. More teachings come from "Words To Live By" and "Reuven Ben Menachum", where Remedy blends a generous amount of tutoring amongst his intelligent darts. Whilst "Hip Hop Music" is the chronicle of his discovery into hip hop and his eventual signing to the Wu. As he states at the beginning, the song is also dashed with a touch of rock-n-roll. Remedy confers some pro-GZA advice into the world of record labels and A&R's and also gives us, once again, the Children of the World on the chorus.
The album's best and most familiar track is "Never Again". This descriptive, almost tear-jerking song, is a historical passage into the Holocaust. When it was first heard on "The Swarm", "Never Again" was a standout track which many hailed as the compilation's best. It's much the same case here. "Never Again" is a well produced, well written and well executed track which will, without a doubt, make an impression on any listener.
When he's not educating, Remedy drifts into other subject matter. Women as an example is the topic of "U Don't Care" and "Girlfriend". Domestic violence surfaces on "U Don't Care" but it's actually quite a delicate little number, only with rather candid lyrics from Rem. Singer Sweetleaf does a fine job on the background vocals. "Girlfriend" on the other hand is almost as frank as a 2 Live Crew song. Cappadonna's appearance on this track is one of his better ones in recent times. And you can't be a Wu artist without at least a tribute to Kung Fu. For that we have "Calm But Deadly" featuring Solomon Childs and a nice sample from "Enter The Dragon". At other times, Remedy and his guest stars throw away all manner of subjects and focus purely on rhyming, "The Ambush" and "Warning" serve as examples in this case.
The only track which sounds out of place is "White Boy". But as was said earlier, Remedy does his best to give us a "white kid's" perspective on rap, and this song is the culmination of just that.
"The Genuine Article" is one of the most insightful LP's to come from any Wu member. Having the ability to work on his own label has given Remedy full control of this album. There are no forced collaborations, nor are there any tracks which you could label as commercial. Remedy has proven to be a very complete artist - a producer and an MC. Only the 4th Disciple produced "Warning" left Remedy absent from any production input. My only complaint is that this release should have been longer. A few tracks which were disclosed to the public on the promotional tape never made it to the final release, which is sad. But never-the-less, this is still a very good album and well worth the purchase price.
Rating: 7.5/10
Written by Wu-Blood Kin
© 2002
Label: Fifth Angel
MY REVIEWS:
If you weren't already informed about Remedy, then you probably weren't aware that he was part of the Wu. His debut album "The Genuine Article" bears none of the traditional Wu logos which have been familiar on so many other Wu releases. So an outsider would have no clue as to his rap affiliation. However, this album has been a long time coming since Remedy was first signed to the Wu back in 1997. But when you're out to produce the entire album yourself, release it on your own label and perform on every song, then the wait is understandable.
On "The Genuine Article" Remedy gives listeners an insight into hip hop from a "white kid's" perspective and prepping us on the teachings of Judaism which is a welcome change. Make no mistake, this guy's got talent. His rhymes extend further than the usual rap macho-isms and his beats are diverse and inspired. Using a sample from Pink Floyd's "Another Brick In The Wall", the album commences with "Education". The Children of the World, which sound like a kid's choir, sings the hook "We Don't Need No Education / We don't need no thought control". Together with Wu-Tang alumni RZA, Remedy bestows the listener with a lesson into the American education system.
"Fallen Angels" is a dedication to the fake MC's, sh*t talkers and wannabes (ie. the Fallen Angels). Strange theme, but in the end Remedy tells us that love is still love. More teachings come from "Words To Live By" and "Reuven Ben Menachum", where Remedy blends a generous amount of tutoring amongst his intelligent darts. Whilst "Hip Hop Music" is the chronicle of his discovery into hip hop and his eventual signing to the Wu. As he states at the beginning, the song is also dashed with a touch of rock-n-roll. Remedy confers some pro-GZA advice into the world of record labels and A&R's and also gives us, once again, the Children of the World on the chorus.
The album's best and most familiar track is "Never Again". This descriptive, almost tear-jerking song, is a historical passage into the Holocaust. When it was first heard on "The Swarm", "Never Again" was a standout track which many hailed as the compilation's best. It's much the same case here. "Never Again" is a well produced, well written and well executed track which will, without a doubt, make an impression on any listener.
When he's not educating, Remedy drifts into other subject matter. Women as an example is the topic of "U Don't Care" and "Girlfriend". Domestic violence surfaces on "U Don't Care" but it's actually quite a delicate little number, only with rather candid lyrics from Rem. Singer Sweetleaf does a fine job on the background vocals. "Girlfriend" on the other hand is almost as frank as a 2 Live Crew song. Cappadonna's appearance on this track is one of his better ones in recent times. And you can't be a Wu artist without at least a tribute to Kung Fu. For that we have "Calm But Deadly" featuring Solomon Childs and a nice sample from "Enter The Dragon". At other times, Remedy and his guest stars throw away all manner of subjects and focus purely on rhyming, "The Ambush" and "Warning" serve as examples in this case.
The only track which sounds out of place is "White Boy". But as was said earlier, Remedy does his best to give us a "white kid's" perspective on rap, and this song is the culmination of just that.
"The Genuine Article" is one of the most insightful LP's to come from any Wu member. Having the ability to work on his own label has given Remedy full control of this album. There are no forced collaborations, nor are there any tracks which you could label as commercial. Remedy has proven to be a very complete artist - a producer and an MC. Only the 4th Disciple produced "Warning" left Remedy absent from any production input. My only complaint is that this release should have been longer. A few tracks which were disclosed to the public on the promotional tape never made it to the final release, which is sad. But never-the-less, this is still a very good album and well worth the purchase price.
Rating: 7.5/10
Written by Wu-Blood Kin
© 2002