Edan
Beauty and the Beat
2005
From the album artwork to the production style to the lyrical content, Beauty and the Beat is an homage to those past that laid the foundation of hip-hop for artists like Edan. Possibly the greatest accomplishment of this album is that is serves its purpose of tribute while simultaneously escaping the trap of novelty and becoming a stellar hip hop record in its own right.
Beauty and the Beat was one of my first hip-hop records and I was immediately enthralled with the rapper/producer. Edan has an unequivocally commanding voice that spits lyrics with an exacting flow. However, it’s the production of Beauty and the Beat that I absolutely love. Instead of emulating the “old-school” he simply references it with crackling beats, harsh breaks and added psychedelic flourishes. I believe the proper way to listen to this record is actually on a cassette blasting through a boom-box held over your shoulder. -R.C.
Here’s my take on this album: the beats are original and interesting, Edan’s flow, as well as his guests, is fluid and easy to understand, and the album as a whole feels quite cohesive. So why don’t I love it? I think it’s because nothing about the lyrics really grabs me; like many old-school rap artists, Edan doesn’t really say anything poignant with his lyrics. It feels more just like lyrical “gymnastics” where he simply rhymes as many words as he can to sound cool. But for those who really like this old-school style, definitely check it out. - Phil
Aw, too bad Phil! I was hopin' you'd dig this one. Super cool record and one of the more unique sounding hip hop album of the decade.
ReplyDeleteMe too! I thought for sure you'd like this one.
ReplyDeleteIt wasn't bad - I just felt nothing from the lyrics, and you guys know how big I am on lyrics. Production-wise it was quite solid though.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I understand the lack of affinity for the lyrics.
ReplyDelete