A Prince Among Thieves (Prince Paul)
from Pinnacle
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Binding/Format: Audio CD
Release Date: 19/02/1999
Index: Music
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Music Pod Price: £24.98
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The concept album has a long history in rock & roll, with the Who's Tommy being by far the most successful (by virtue of its turns on the big screen and Broadway, respectively). Hip-hop has had a few interesting (Kool Keith's Sex Style) and not-so-interesting (RZA's Bobby Digital in Stereo) goes at the form, but not until Prince Paul's A Prince Among Thieves has the genre had a true epic of its own to claim. The album, a cynical story of two friends that turn into rivals over a record deal, is solid on every level, with a full story, great music, and a strong cast. The disc is populated by a bevy of characters, many played by solid veterans--Chris Rock and De La Soul as junkies, Everlast as a crooked cop, Biz Markie and Special Ed as enforcers for Chubb Rock's gangsta don, and Big Daddy Kane as a pimp--but features a pair of talented newcomers (Sha and Breeze) as the leads. Sha and Breeze are dynamic, and they show up some of the bigger stars here--though only a couple of the characters disappoint (most surprising of which is Kool Keith's Crazy Lou). Ultimately, it's a hell of a record, with Breeze, Chubb Rock, Big Daddy Kane, Heroine, De La Soul, Xzibit, Brand Nubian's Sadat X, and Kid Creole taking best advantage of the killer tracks Paul serves up for them. --Randy Silver
From .com The concept album has a long history in rock & roll , with the Who's Tommy being by far the most successful (by virtue of its turns on the big screen and Broadway, respectively). Hip-hop has had a few interesting (Kool Keith's Sex Style) and not-so-interesting (RZA's Bobby Digital in Stereo) goes at the form, but not until Prince Paul's A Prince Among Thieves has the genre had a true epic of its own to claim. The album, a cynical story of two friends that turn into rivals over a record deal, is solid on every level, with a full story, great music, and a strong cast. The disc is populated by a bevy of characters, many played by solid veterans--Chris Rock and De La Soul as junkies, Everlast as a crooked cop, Biz Markie and Special Ed as enforcers for Chubb Rock's gangsta don, and Big Daddy Kane as a pimp--but features a pair of talented newcomers (Sha and Breeze) as the leads. Sha and Breeze are dynamic, and they show up some of the bigger stars here--though only a couple of the characters disappoint (most surprising of which is Kool Keith's Crazy Lou). Ultimately, it's a hell of a record, with Breeze, Chubb Rock, Big Daddy Kane, Heroine, De La Soul, Xzibit, Brand Nubian's Sadat X, and Kid Creole taking best advantage of the killer tracks Paul serves up for them. --Randy Silver
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Associated music album categories: Hip-Hop & Rap & Labels |
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