The Minstrel Show Review

BLAMMY.

You thought I forgot I was supposed to be moving around the country? Well I got news for you buddy, I’m like an elephant…

Me

I have big ears and a trunk.

Accordingly, I will be moving to NC to bring you my review of Little Brother’s The Minstrel Show. There will be one caveat, though, and no it’s not the fact that I just used caveat and you now have to go look it up…it’s that I don’t feel like writing SHIT beforehand.  So basically, I’m still gonna give you a good review but I’m gonna cut my bullshitting here. The only thing I’ll write is that CLEARLY, the title of the album is supposed to be ironic and let them call out all the bullshit that’s going on.

The Minstrel Show Album Cover

WELCOME TO THE MINSTREL SHOW

It sets the tone…listen to it once for posterity’s sake.

BEAUTIFUL MORNING (9)

This is what I’m hoping for expecting from a group as hyped by underground fans as Little Brother. Not only does the beat give us a taste of the South, it also boom baps as hard as anywhere above Georgia should. Even though this doesn’t really have anything to do with the title of the album, its a good song to start off on, as both Phonte and Pooh go equally as hard.

THE BECOMING (8)

This beat straddles a FINE, FINE, line between annoying and good, but lyrically Phonte helps win the tug of war.

NOT ENOUGH (6)

What do these pictures have in common?

THIS SONG.

CHEATIN (*&^*&%&^%&)

Ya, that’s right, I just gave it a *&^*&%&^%&. Why? Because I wouldn’t listen to this as an actual song, cuz it’s basically a skit that is a song…look, it SHITS on R&B, so you should listen to it once, that’s all you need to know.

HIDING PLACE (6)

This falls on the other side of the “just kinda there” barrier. I don’t see myself listening to this in the future, even though technically it’s not a bad song.

SLOW IT DOWN (DB)

Say it with me, “Girls songs are gay”. Thank you.

NOTICE: I’ve seen so far that the slower the tempo on this album, the worse the song has been, so let’s hope they speed things up quickly (get it?)

SAY IT AGAIN (7)

Hahaha although I LOVE the Chappelle/Rick James reference:

Fuck Yo Couch

These songs are starting to run together, which typically isn’t a good sign on a hip-hop album.

5TH AND FASHION (SKIT)

Helps with the album title, but you’re really gonna hit me with a bunch of mediocre songs and then a skit?

LOVIN’ IT (10)

This song is hot as SHIT. They all sound good over this smoothass beat, and I LOVE what they did with Joe Scudda…since he’s white and the album is “The Minstrel Show”, they say “he’s performing in blackface tonight” and then have him rap about typical rap shit…if you can’t get what I’m getting at by now, either wikipedia Minstrel Shows or just sit back and think for a second cuz that’s smart as SHIT. Oh…another thing I should probly mention…BET refused to air the video because it made fun of rap videos and they deemed it “too intelligent for their target audience”. HOLY SHIT. Ya you just read that right. Accordingly, that’s why I can’t link you to any videos, they’ve all mysteriously dissappeared (although I’ve seen it and have got to say it’s pretty good).  As a matter of fact, go watch this, because The Boondocks put it better than I ever could. Oh and coincidentally, BET banned that shit too.

DIARY OF A MAD BLACK DADDY (SKIT)

I can’t really complain about these skits since they’re furthering the theme and are worth sitting through at least once.

ALL FOR YOU (8)

Quicker pace, BETTER INSTRUMENTAL, slightly better lyrics from the previous, and you get an 8. See, LB? It isn’t that hard to make me happy (Yes it is, but whatever.)

WATCH ME (7)

TI/Game Territory. What’s that? You don’t know/don’t remember what that means? TOO BAD, you should have been reading my ISSS for longer. Click through some older posts and discover away.

SINCERELY YOURS (7)

Two on a row in TI/Game land. Now you’re REALLY suffering for not knowing your way around my terminology. What now, bitch?

STILL LIVES THROUGH (8)

HEY! They woke up! Just in time for the end! With the title and the Busta Rhymes sample referencing “God Lives Through” of A Tribe Called Quest, though, I’m forced (by Q-Tip holding me up at gunpoint by law) to say that the original is the better song. (In case my dicking around is too unfunny to understand, God Lives Through really is the better song)

MINSTREL SHOW CLOSING

Same thing as the intro.

WE GOT NOW (7)

This song isn’t bad, but throwing this isn’t gonna change my opinion on the album. Listen through for the skit at the end, though.

So How Was It?

Better than the bullshit they’re calling out, but not the “classic” they called it…although why would you tell people your shit wasn’t a classic…especially when you’re underground. How in the dick would they make money then?

So it’s a?

I’ll give it a burn.

Anything going on in your life?

The kid in the room right next to me is nailing his girlfriend right now and I can hear it.