isbell@athena.mit.edu (Charles L Isbell) (06/15/91)
What up, G?
This time: _Lifers Group_ (EP) by Lifers Group
Next time: I dunno. Any suggestions? I'd love an excuse to buy something
new.
Catch Ups: _It Takes A Nation of Millions To Hold Us Back_ by Public Enemy
_Fear of A Black Planet_ by Public Enemy
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Distinctiveness: Middlin'.
Dopeness Rating: This is pretty dope. I don't know if it's worth the price
I paid for it, but it's pretty good.
Rap Part: Dope-. The lyrics are tight, mostly, but it varies from
rapper to rapper.
Sounds: This reminds me of the Bomb Squad. Need I say more?
Message: Oh, so you think you're bad, hunh? Wait until your ass gets
in prison with us. And we do mean ass.
Tracks: Now that's an interesting story. Read the review.
Profanity: Well, as the cover says, this was recorded in prison "and
reflects the harsh realities of prison life." They ain't
kidding, homeless. Mom and Dad won't appreciate this
one, although, they might appreciate the message. Hmmmm
they do have radio edits on this one so I can you can play
those out loud, but the unedited ones can only be listened
to by your uncle (you know, the drunk one everyone has).
Well, this is an EP. As you know, I don't buy such things (_Kill At Will_
aside), but I don't think these guys will come out with an album, so I've
decided to take that chance. Besides, I saw the video and it was dope.
Lifers Group is just that, a group of men doing time for life in the big
house. In fact, this is the same group that brought you Scared Straight
(you remember that, right?--a group of cons talking to kids who are
well on the way to prison, trying to show them the deal). It looks like
they decided to branch out and try to hit the kids where they listen most--
the cassette deck. They get dap just for the effort.
As for the CD itself, well, let's take a look.
"This is Maxwell Melvins aka 66-oh-6-4, vp of the Lifers Group.
Help keep our membership low."
We start with "The Real Deal" and "The Real Deal (radio edit)." The
sounds are harsh and dope. This is worthy of Ice Cube or PE. The lyrics,
for the most part, are nicely tight although there are some minor weak
spots. The radio edit is exactly the same as the unedited version with beeps
or blank spots in the appropriate places. The unedited versions are also
slightly shorter because their fades aren't as long. This track talks
about everything from no sex for years (wrong answer) to prison rapes (ick).
Here they concentrate on how it feels to be in the big house itself.
"...a nap in the penitentiary for half of a century
look thru the bars, see muscles and big shirt
give you a week, you'll be wearing a wig--jerk.
Thought it was funny, chuckle while your knees buckle.
Suddenly, the woman side of you unfolds.
Hmmmmm. Somebody playin' with your butthole."
"...No wrong and no right and I will kill with a knife
you wanna come to prison, boy I might take your life
You just a vice on my side so you'd better think twice
'cause I'm annoyed, irritated, and I'm here for a fight.
Every time I walk around I see a brother with life,
You're just a dumb little idiot and you can't see the light.
So keep out the system, stay a man and be free,
if not young brother, you'll come here... with me."
Instead of focusing on life in the big house, per se, the Lifers explain
how they got there in "Belly of The Beast" and "Belly of The Beast (radio
edit)," trying to make the connection with their percieved audience (I
suppose) that they were just like them once. The chorus is "Just
like you, I had all the answers, I've been there." Lyrically, this is somewhat
superior to "The Real Deal," although they are about on the same level of
dopitivity wrt the sounds.
"Learn at the expense of our sorrow"
"On the street he was tough,
but in jail he's a bitch."
"I used to have a name, now I have number.
I used to put suckers six feet under.
Now I'm in jail, no longer a rebel.
You can't tell me a damn thing about the ghetto.
I've been there."
"I had been there, sittin' in Scared Straight
Advice was a thing I used to hate.
Lifer's Group warned me about prison.
You know what? I should've listen."
Anyway, the fifth track is "Nightmare Man," really nothing more than a
poem. The point gets across, but it's not rap, so I don't know how to
review it. It won't end up in classical textbooks and you won't play it
to dance to, but, then, that's not the point.
"I'm known as 62-oh-98.
I'm doing forever with no date."
The next track is "Suckers Edit," a mostly instrumental offering with
some nice samples from various Scared Straight sessions. In and of itself,
even without the intent of the message, it's dope.
"That's how it is in here, man. You bust somebody in the head and you roll
down here.... It's my momma, it's my people.... You got to deal with me.
'Cause I ain't gonna say sh*t, know what I'm sayin?
I ain't gonna tell bogus sh*t. I won't be your friend.
I'm going to try to get somewhere and knock you motherf*ckin' head in."
"We ain't no motherf*ckers to be proud of! We sold the f*ck out!
On our people! Our neighborhood! Our education! Or potential!
Our whole motherf*ckin' world, we sold out on, man."
We end with instrumental versions of "The Real Deal" and "Belly of The
Beast," as well as a track called "Bonus Beats."
If nothing else, it's amazing that someone could make a CD like this
and _not_ come off as preachy and heavy handed. As an objective (ha!)
reviewer, I don't know if the EP is worth basically three tracks,
but if anything is, this is (and, of course, _Kill At Will_).
But that's just one Black man's opinion--what's yours?
Peace.
"Watch what you wish for--it may come true."
--
Don't just adopt opinions, | \ / | Charles Lee Isbell
develop them. | \/ | Homeboy from hell, living axiom and
------------------------------| /\ | anonymous absolute ruler of the cosmos
MIT has no opinions to adopt. | / \ | isbell@athena.mit.edu, isbell@ai.mit.edu