Hi 76 / Lo 53
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Volume 72, Issue 67,
Monday, November 27, 2006
Life & Arts Brothers deliver gem with latest album by ELI JABBE
The Clipse are one of the most interesting duos in hip-hop. The members are a pair of brothers: Gene Thornton (Malice) and Terrance Thornton (Pusha T). The Virginia natives first gained popularity in 2002 with their hit "Grindin'." The song, just like their acclaimed album Lord Willin' was produced by The Neptunes. They also scored a hit with "When the Last Time." The Clipse started working on their next album in late 2003, and completed it, but it wasn't released because of issues with their label. Frustrated with the standstill, the Clipse ended up shelving the album and starting over. Now, they are back with Hell Hath No Fury, four years later. The time off helped: this is their best album and one of the year's best. The Neptunes return again to produce the album. This time around, Chad Hugo and Pharrell Williams abandon the synthesizers and other instruments they used a couple of years ago and provide the Clipse with a different soundscape. Listeners will notice the slim track listing. Only 12 songs, but that is good because the album is devoid of filler material. The first track "We Got It For Cheap" is named after the series of the excellent mix tapes they released while they were stuck in the label limbo. Pusha T, who is slightly more skilled lyrically than his older brother, has his usual clever one-liners: "my rap's like childplay: my show and tell." The end of the song segues perfectly into the family-themed "Momma I'm Sorry" with an interlude. Malice talks about his expanded view of the world: "it's a bigger picture: I've seen it / from Frankfurt to Sweden, from Italy's Milan to the shores of Nepali / I'm no longer, my thoughts are global / that's why I seem distant: you should expand your vision." "Mr. Me Too" is the single that was popular during the summer. Pharrell has a verse on this song, but it's his only appearance where he raps on the album (he appears in choruses on other songs.) "Hello, New World" is the highlight of the album and an epitome of the growth in the Clipse's music. "Malice" gives advice about how his hustler life that he once lived shouldn't be glamorized while referencing Scarface: "I'm not coming at you famous rapper who turned positive and tries to tell you how to live' but, this information I must pass to the homies: if hustling is a must, be like Sosa, not Tony." Pharrell half-raps/half-sings the chorus, "hello, new world, here we come." The song ends with Pusha sending a message to envious people: "time's wasting / people are doing so much hating / free your heart and show your greatness / I, like you, had to come up from under the basement / still, you look at me through jealous eyes / I wish to see all my people rise." There are plenty of other tracks that will have you pushing repeat, such as "Keys Open Doors," which features one of the Neptunes' best beats in a long time. Pusha proves he is one of the premier contemporary lyricists with a dart aimed at imitating rappers: "at you make-believers rappers I smile / copying my style, like you're on the Internet sharing my files: you myspace guys." Clipse's new album is one of the year's best and was worth the wait. It's concise with minimal guest features and no filler, so you can throw it in and listen through the whole album without skipping a song. Send comments to dcshobiz@mail.uh.edu |
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