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| Beautiful Mind |
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producers: kimani, others.
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guests: Immortal Technique
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| year of release: 2003 |
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| Hailing from Brooklyn, this cat got his feet
wet battling around Park Slope. The story then is somewhat typical
for the cream of the crop in NYC: Bobitto somehow hears a track
you did, he likes you, plays you, invites you. That will always
open doors, and Pumpkinhead shoved the "Dynamic" and
"Wack MC's" 12"es through the opening, to then
fully kicking down the gates with the album "The Old Testament"
and collaborations with Ace Lover, Cloudkickers DJ Eli, Skeme
Team and radio commercials. |
| He's now regrouping on Third Earth Music. And
with the help of Kimani of the Masterminds now drops the "Beautiful
Mind" EP, before the album "The New Testament"
will be released later this year. But don't look over your shoulder,
Jennifer Connelly does not appear on this album, nor do you
need to refresh your math's skills. Nope, this is no Nobel prize
physician type endeavor. Instead you need to freshen up your
battling skills, because Pump' enjoys to spit those rhymes at
least as much as he did back then. Thus there's tracks like
"Blacklisted",
where he professes "I do it for the love, you do it for
new shoes". And the competition also has a 'tattoo of Mase
on their back'. An organ pushes "Pumpin
(Pause!!!)", where the rhymes are thoroughly braggadocios,
with a couple of disses thrown in for good measure: "and
I don't lie when I do interviews / like half these fools front
like they pack missiles". Repping his neighborhood on "Park
Slope" he also takes us around to some of the corners,
while the team up with Immortal Technique "Brooklyn
Academy" then goes for the blows below the belt,
over a beat that will have a hard time to appeal to the hardcore
backpackers. |
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| However, that's not all this album
has to offer, as on "Supahstar
(The Anti-Bouncers Theme) ", he's
facing one of those after school bullies. Over a
Kimani beat he's telling a story that each and everyone
of us knows: the bouncer acts up, Pump' is not let
into the club. But this story has a happy end, as
Pump' knows the owner, and so he's able to get down
and boogie in the venue. Also outside of the battle
universe is "Mujer
Triste", where Pump' speaks on some
lost love, friend won and all the troubles in between.
"The
Beginning (One Verse) " then
speaks on the struggles of just being alive, with
the troubles in Pumpkinhead's case having started
right at birth. The tribulations then continue through
the years, with the wish to be 'up there' too, being
turned around in the head more than just once. |
| Therefore Pumpkinhead hands in
an EP that is thematically versatile, what is very
appreciated. Especially as he covers all the grounds
with serious skill. On the beat tip however, this
record falls behind the vocal presence and quality.
The beats at times are unspectacular, with "Blacklisted",
"Pumpin
(Pause!!!)" and "Mujer
Triste", that's also furthered with
scenic sounds and a sung hook, nevertheless being
good. Therefore this EP might not get as many Oscars
as expected, uhm, I mean... you know what I mean. |
| review:
tadah |
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| » back
to top | last changed :
05.02.03
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