It’s official – my family has grown…this much is certain. Little Brother has moved in, cleaned out the fridge, and taken up residence on the couch. Why would I let three guys from NC do this? Simple: They’ve got the chops to keep my earholes happy. I haven’t been this excited about a new hop-hop CD since De La Soul reappeared with ‘AOI Bionix’.
The Minstrel Show reminds me of those early, boundless Native Tongue releases. Righteous poets penning scripts about their life, flavor steeped in the neighborhood instead of record label board rooms, and creative interludes (skits) that actually add to the album. These are real guys, delivering real lyrics, intended for real people. If you have fallen under the trance of studio-formulated acts like 50 Cent, this is not the record for you.
I highly recommend anyone who has an inclination towards De La Soul, Tribe, or The Roots to head on over to the iTunes Music Store and give this album a shot. Their debut, ‘The Listening‘, was an instant classic and worth a peek as well.