KRS-One – I M A M C R U 1 2 

In the Mix

KRS-One – I M A M C R U 1 2

Review By CAM

KRS-One drops another really good lyrical album I theorized the album must have took a year to make I M A M C R U 1 2 is mostly produced by SUN One and Pascal who have worked with KRS-One on previous albums.The album’s summary feels like KRS-One is educating the younger Generations about being lyrically better and knowledgeable,You could even say it felt like a tutorial on how to be a good lyrical MC especially with the First song on the album Beginning.

My second favorite song, probably my favorite rap intro this year so far. It felt like he was telling me what he feels like hip hop should be versus current Rap Music and also being frustrated by keep reminding Young Artists to be more conscious even telling young rappers he’s been in this game for a very long time one of the verses is talkin about Elkhart Tolle feeling like he has as much energy as Tolle a spiritual teacher. Another verse I like was on This song becomes a knockout with the right hook
I’m raw, meaning not cooked
These fake rappers heads are down
Because into the face of KRS they do not look
40 cal. style

Also in the song he is explaining the difference between a rapper and a MC. Second song is raw Hip Hop which is personally my favorite lyrically song on the album KRS-One is talking about the origin of 80 and 90s rap. How hip-hop became gangster the crack and heroin epidemic. One of my favorite verses on the album comes from the song Rapper’s became Gangsters and Gangsters became Rappers but it also talked about how those struggles in the eighties and nineties made the artists have more lyrically driven songs and because of that struggle made the music better. With the verse we was eating free cheese but that made us wrong so we was eating MCs talking about how hip-hop felt more competitive back in the day I’m using the word educated on this review a lot but this album really do feel like you are learning straight-up facts from the album and this song is the perfect example of it.

The next song is Krazy what I like about this song is KRS One doing modern-day instrumentals another good lyrical track Tons of energy he is one of the few artists that still have as much energy as he was in his twenties he made sure on the song to call out rappers for selling out to the radio station the production sounds like Kendrick Lamar’s Damn album another song that proved you can do current Beats and still have a positive message the dance song was cringey but then again I think that’s just because I’m young it was nice lyrically but it felt like your grandpa talked about this stuff that was cool in his day when I hear the song. I can picture of Homer Simpson’s father yelling at kids on their grass. So personally my least favorite song on the album he should have made Krazy a single instead of the Cha Cha Slide song Achieving levels is another good lyrical track KRS-One is flexing about his philosophies and how he has achieved music happiness compared to the young guys who has to be commercial just to find success one lyric from the album I really liked was my philosophies this is the route no hesitancy I’m 50 and the 20 year olds cant match my energy.

Brooklyn, NY 9-23-2009 Rapper Krs one VH1 Hip Hop Honors; Brooklyn Academy of Music Photo by Maggie Wilson-PHOTOlink.net

Knock Em Out is the next song on the hook you hear Slick Rick’s voice the song is about current artists consumerism one of the lyrics says I’m the true teacher teaching about the ancestors and family he also talks about writing for the people not the Grammys and how he got banned from the label and radio for being too conscious and talking about if the blind artist keep leading the blind it will bring more destruction to music and society. A beautiful lyric from the song is when you reverse evil believe me people you really live health love awareness and wealth what I’m here to give Club Rippa. Actually my third favorite production of the album this was a feel good song just talkin about different cities and clubs nothing really to talk about but this song actually could have been a single if KRS-One was pushing a song for a reggae audience. Wet em up is a different song in the album you can tell Sun One was heavily involved in this song I think it was a little unnecessary personally at this point I don’t think KRS-One really needs a hype man since he’s already established probably my second least favorite song off the album. Innocent it’s funny I just got done talking about how Sun One was too heavily involved in Wet Em Up but innocent is the opposite one of my favorite songs off the album.Great lyrical song KRS-One is talking about how in reality we are not evil or the ones that are would turn from the song that talks about black oppression colonizing the flaws of capitalism to quote a good lyric from the song .This is why people claimed we are born Sinners but you’re innocent if you know you and I don’t own this land you live in it and your name is not your name it’s their name. You and I are not in control that’s why you’re innocent we live in a prisonment. Another one is we don’t speak our own language we don’t grow our own food our clothes are not silky our souls are clean so their souls are filthy they are filthy because withslavery oppression and robbery we are the innocent.A lot of quotable stuff is in that song really good. Next song Imamcru12 I would talk about this song but it’s better to hear for yourself this was a fantastic song best produced song off the whole album everything about it was great the best way to describe the song is KRS-One is a man amongst boys drop another break is good as well more like a free style type song in my mind the song is picturing KRS-One battle rapping somebody who looks so nervous due to KRS-One Superior lyrics nothing to say was another good production by mlody don’t know much about the guy except he’s worked with.

KRS-One before but he’s an international artist the be felt like early 2000 G-Unit beat KRS One did a decent job lyrically just couldn’t really put my finger why it could have been lyrically better I have to wait. This was a decent production but good bars by KRS-One he was talking about his goat status an also looking side eye at the fact that some of these corporate rappers called themselves goats also talking about real hip hop and shouting out DMX also being sick and tired of the bubble gum rap.And he has more to say than these young rappers.In my opinion KRS-One did lack having strong features now we get to the last song think bigger this was the most produced song off the album featuring GSimone who has done previous songs with KRS-One her voice is beautiful and soothing several instrumentals a rap and jazz song.Rapper Jackson Whalen did the beat oh so produced as well with Elan Morrison who I do know best known for working with Lady Gaga.I think the last song the story the entire album yes he sounded like he was lecturing but at the same time he said it himself he just trying to educate the young people because they was critical on how music should be music to the point where it feels like KRS-One was saying he’s not mad he’s just disappointed. Great lyrically album decent with producing lots of energy I give it a 7.8 out of 10

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