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Criminal Minded- Boogie Down Productions

Kafka said: "Criminal Minded - Boogie Down Productions 1. Poetry 2. South Bronx 3. 9MM Goes Bang 4. Word From Our Sponsor 5. Elementary 6. Dope Beat 7. The "P" Is Free (Remix) 8. The Bridge Is Over 9. Super Hoe 10. Criminal Minded "The South Bronx... The South, South Bronx!" Whether of not you have actually had the chance to go to the South Bronx (aka the Birthplace of Hip-Hop), it is more than likely that, if you are an avid fan of Rap music, you have heard this chant somewhere before. Some of you New Jacks may have heard it when it was sample in J Lo's "Jenny From the Block". However, those whose knowledge of the music stretches back a bit further will remember it as the hook to the classic single "South Bronx" by Boogie Down Productions, where KRS-ONE first got its start. Many remember KRS when hearing this song, but the rest of the crew don't always come to mind as quickly. The original Boogie Down Productions was Blastmaster KRS-One, human beatbox D-Nice, and the late DJ Scott La Rock (KRS's former social worker). After the succes of their first single and a simmering feud with Cold Chillin's Juice Crew, BDP dropped a seminal classic in 1987 with "Criminal Minded". "Criminal Minded" begins with "Poetry", probably KRS's first proclamation of himself as the "Teacha" in the Hip-Hop world. His Educated Man persona is starting to come into play on this track. "If its meaning doesn't manifest, put it to rest! I am a Poet, you try to show it, yet, blow it It takes concentration for fresh communication" Next up is the aformentioned "South Bronx", a dedication to the early days of Hip-Hop's development and an answer to MC Shan's Queens anthem "The Bridge". The song is quite different from the rest of the tracks, but is still rather good. "Party people in the place to be, KRS-One attacks Ya got dropped off MCA 'cause the rhymes you wrote was wack So you think that Hip-Hop had it's start out in Queensbridge? If you popped that junk up in the Bronx you might not live!" "Nine Millimeter Goes Bang" follows, and may serve as a shock to many of KRS-One's present-day fans. The Blastmaster goes into full mafioso mode as he combats a rival drug dealer and his gang with some of his trademark reggae-style chatting. "He pulled his pistol anyway and I filled him full of lead But just before he fell to the ground this is what I said... Wa-da-da-deng! Wa-da-da-da-deng! Ay! Listen to my nine millimeter go bang!" The tracks that come after this, "Word From Our Sponsor", "Elementary", and "Dope Beat" feature KRS on the all-too-common braggadocious tip of the era, but he does it all too well. "Dope Beat" also has a familiar (and unauthorized) sample from AC/DC's "Back In Black", which would probably result in a lawsuit in today's world. "The 'P' Is Free" appears here in its superior remix form with a sample from Yellowman's "Zunguzunguzeng". Another shock to KRS fans may occur here as he picks up a crack fiend and proceeds to insult her. I'll leave it up to you to figure out what the "P" in the title stands for. “Said, ‘Now how the hell we jump off to this? I'm doin you a favor, I'm givin you a lift’ She said ‘KRS, you know how it goes’ I said ‘Yeah, you little (bitch) it seems that you're a hoe’” KRS goes into full battle mode with the next track, "The Bridge Is Over", a response to MC Shan's "Kill That Noise", which was made in response to "South Bronx". The Teacha goes off on the entire Juice Crew and associates Mr. Magic and Marley Marl. "I finally found out that Magic's mouth is used for suckin' Roxanne Shante is only good for steady fuckin' MC Shan and Marley Marl is really only bluffin' Like Doug E. Fresh said, I tell you, now you ain't nothin' Next to Red Alert and next to Boogie Down Productions!" In "Super Hoe", KRS details the sexual exploits of partner Scott La Rock with a great sense of humor. "The Super Hoe is loose in your section And he's armed with a powerful erection So hide get your girl and run for protection Your mama, too, 'cause I'd like to mention Scott La Rock had 'em all, he is the Super Hoe" The last track on the album is the title cut, beginning with KRS flipping the Beatles' "Hey Jude" to rep his crew and then dropping lines on his and the group's sense of purpose. One of the most quoted and sample Rap lines came from this song. "'Cause girls look so good, but they're brain is not ready, I don't know I'd rather talk to a woman, 'cause her mindset is steady, so here we go.." Although not as progressive or groundbreaking as other albums under the "BDP" or "KRS-One" name, this album is definitely a classic with its only faults coming from its sparse production, which could have used a little bit more beefing up. Despite this small problem, I would advise any Hip-Hop fan to go pick this up as soon as humanly possible. Score- 9/10 -Kanibal"

Monotamy said: "Simply a classic album, if you don't own this.... u should sacrifice a testical to BDP."