Little Brother - Separate But Equal Review
Posted by Phil Watts, Jr on 04.25.2006
THE LABEL MADE US DO IT!!!
Little Brother is probably one of the most misunderstood groups in Hip-hop right now. Most snot-nosed critics notice the fact that the group received mad praise from ?uestlove The Roots Drummer, and then paint up all their poorly thought-up pictures of the group based strictly on that. "They some CONSCIOUS NIGGAS!" "They're just another group shoving their UNDERGROUND SUPERIORITY down our throats!" "Oh no, another UNDERGROUND RAP GROUP trying to RESURRECT HIP-HOP!" Most of these cases they never even listen to a single song from any of their records, or else they'd know that their preconceived notions aren't even true! So, for the last time:
Little Brother isn't nor have they ever been CONSCIOUS RAPPERS, nor have they ever been about UNDERGROUND SUPERIORITY, nor are they set to BRING HIP-HOP BACK FROM THE DEAD! Furthermore, not everyone who gets praise from ?uestlove is a CONSCIOUS RAPPER! Hell, THE ROOTS CREW aren't even conscious rappers, and ?uestlove is in the fuckin' group!!!
While those just look at the "APPROVED-BY-?UESTLOVE" tag and automatically think "CONSCIOUS/NEO-SOUL/KUFI-WEARIN' NIGGAS", people on the other side of the isle will notice the fact that this particular CD is part of DJ Drama's GHETTO GRILLZ mixtape series, not to mention the fact that someone like BUN B of UGK is in it, plus the fact that this CD features Big Pooh rhyming over *GASP* A NEPTUNES BEAT?! "OH PLEASE GOD, NO!!! LITTLE BROTHER DONE SOLD OUT!!!! IT MUST BE A RECORD LABEL MOVE!! The MINSTREL SHOW failed to generate any numbers so they're making them sell the fuck out! HOW LONG WILL IT BE BEFORE THEY TURN INTO THE NEXT BLACK EYED PEAS?! I heard rumors that Phonte is eyin' one of those white chicks from AMERICAN IDOL to be their fourth member! HIP-HOP IS DEAD! DEAD! DEAD!!" Damn...calm the fuck DOWN!
Then there's another set of critics...The ones that feel that 9th Wonder (as well as Khrysis and other Justus League-related producers) is mad overrated. Their biggest problem is that, for all 9th's strengths at manipulating samples, he seriously lacks in the his drumbeats, either with his use of the same snare or the limited drum patterns. Unlike the first two sets of critics, at least these people have actually LISTENED to their albums before casting judgment. Now, as much as I'm liking a lot of what the Justus League is providing, even I have felt the same way at times...especially after 9th's rushjobs with Kaze's SPIRIT OF 94 and even some of his work on Buckshot's CHEMISTRY (which was, in fact, put together in about a week). Will THIS particular album do anything to change their minds? Read on...
Like I said before, this is DJ Drama's latest in his GANGSTA GRILLZ mixtape series, and in the spirit of LB's CHITLIN' CIRCUIT series, it featuring mostly new LB material. DJ Drama does some mixing, as well as the usual yellin-ass-DJ shtick ("GRIZZZZZILLLZZZ!!!") Pooh & Phonte are still Pooh & Phonte, making songs about their trials and tribulations with the music business, their love-life, and of course, how dope they are and how wack other niggas are. Beatwise, 9th Wonder and Khrysis produce the majority of this album, with a few goodies from DR ("I Need You") and Illmind ("Can't Let Her").
The highlights? 9th's beat in "Cross That Line" shows that all that pressure has been getting under his skin, because I like the drums in this song. Yeah, it's not the reincarnation of Marley Marl, but it's still pretty dope. While the song could've done without Big Treal, Pooh & Phonte still carry it with the usual braggadocio shit. Likewise, in "Macaroni", Khrysis comes through with his attempt at a crunk-style beat as Pooh talks about being glad to get chicks now that he's got a record deal. They need to get this song on the radio...NOW. I don't care if they have to try to get Lil' Wayne in this song...what do they have to lose? "Rollin' Out", another Khrysis joint, features Supastition doing his usual. "Boondock Saints" showcases the EMBASSY (League members L.E.G.A.C.Y. and Chaundon), while Phonte talks about his label problems (and tells everyone that THE MINSTREL SHOW's numbers did even worse than THE LISTENING. OUCH.) In both "On My G" and "Hate", Pooh & Phonte shows everyone that they could rock over other people's beats, as Pooh does a little something over a Neptune beat (which sounds pretty dope) and Phonte runs over a track from Kanye's LATE REGISTRATION. On "Candy", the LB's let UGK's Bun B do his usual, while on "I Need You", they let their resident chorus-singer, Darien "D-Brock" Brockington, have the floor.
Just like on the CHITLIN' CIRCUIT series, they carry over some songs from their last release, which kinda weakens this album a bit. In this case, it's "Lovin' It" and "Not Enough". Now don't get me wrong...it's not like these songs are bad, as they were among the best songs from the MINSTREL SHOW. But to include them on here makes no sense, especially since most of the people who bought this CD probably have the MINSTREL SHOW already. Instead, they should've included "Hold On (Tellin' Me)" (The B-side from the "Lovin' It" 12-inch) or an outtake or a REMIX of one of those MINSTREL SHOW tracks. Other low points: with all this talk of 9th and Khrysis having weak drums, Young Cee's beat from "Knock Knock" is just plain amateurish. Mos Def's appearance on "Let It Go" leaves a lot to be desired. Okay...it's good to hear him actually RAP again, but this sounds like an unfocused freestyle (and probably is). Come on, Mos. We all know you can do better. And even though the "Horror Movie" skit gave me a little chuckle (everyone who's ever paid attention to Soundscan figures will definitely get it), the album could do without the pointless skits.
The Good (a.k.a. Minstrel show HEADLINERS): "Cross That Line", "Macaroni", "Boondock Saints", "Candy"
The Bad (a.k.a. Minstrel show CURTAIN-JERKERS): "Knock Knock", Mos Def's verse in "Let It Go", pointless skits.
The 411: Even though this album won’t do much to change the minds of people who think that 9th & Khrysis need to step their beat-game up (though they could at least take solace in the fact that both producers are feeling the pressure to improve), this is still another solid release from the LB’s. All the other critics (whether they think the LB’s are ’conscious niggaz’ or ’sellouts’) would do better to actually listen to this album before passing judgment. Then they’d know that there’s plenty to like in this album.
