Thirteen years have passed since Del The Funky Homosapien, Dan the Automator, and DJ Kid Koala blessed Hip Hop with one of its best concept albums (and certainly its greatest Space Opera). Part Orwellian dystopia, part Star Wars, and all Hip Hop, Deltron 3030’s debut was a cult classic whose lasting legacy has led fans clamoring for Del to resume his role as Deltron Zero. Many years and dozens of updates dating back to 2004 later, Event II arrives with fans wondering if it can live up to the original.
The album’s intro, narrated impeccably by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, informs us that Event II takes place 10 years after the events of the first album (i.e. in the year 3040). Crisis is afoot, as class warfare threatens to cause the denizens of the Deltron universe to turn to anarchy (sound familiar?). Alas, just as hopes of Deltron Zero and the Automator’s reemergence have all but faded, the duo surfaces. On “The Return,” Deltron Zero surveys a land desperate for salvation:
“As I view a long stretch of sand dunes / And abandoned shacks and crack houses with rats out in the clear open / …Don’t know what to do, it was out of our hands / Now we gotta pull straws, figure out a plan / I’m mobbing with a posse, a clan / A ragtag renegades, looking for living grenades / Live ammo, cause it’s been on the stage of / Cutthroat, corrupt folks, pressure too much to cope.”
The track is just one example of Del’s vivid storytelling, and how the album as a whole effectively parallels modern-day issues. With Del holding things down on the mic, Dan the Automator and Kid Koala more than hold their own behind the boards (with the latter handling the album’s turntablism). Automator’s production is a real treat, telling a story of its own. “Pay the Price” is brimming with a sense of adventure, while “The Agony” conveys the urgency and gravity of Del’s mission to overthrow oppressors. Drums play well off of Del’s delivery, while the sample choices throughout reassert Automator’s position as one of the best to ever do it. Every detail in Event II is well-thought out and serves a purpose. David Cross and Amber Tamblyn’s “Lawnchair Quarterback” skits, for example, give a telling and hilarious take on generational divides. Contributions are carefully chosen, whether its Zack De La Rocha’s righteous fury on “Melding Of The Minds” or Damon Albarn’s wistful vocals on “What Is The Loneliness.”
The fact that Del’s aforementioned storytelling chops, or Dan and Kid Koala’s contributions on the production side are as sharp as ever isn’t surprising. What is a pleasant surprise, however, is how the trio’s chemistry remains unspoiled 13 years later. Honestly, Event II could have been recorded a month after Deltron 3030 and it wouldn’t be a surprise to anyone. It’s a true spiritual successor to the original, and is everything fans could have asked for: a worthy follow-up, well-thought-out standalone project, and a very necessary commentary on society, government, and machinations by which the two interact.
Dude wtf are you smokin? Go listen to the first album then listen to this garbage. This album deserves a 2 and 1/2 at best. There is no way this even compares to the original. All the production sounds rushed and unpolished. Most of the tracks have an up-tempo/fast kind of feel with doesn’t fair well with in depth story telling. I feel like this was put out to milk more funds out of the Deltron name. It’s sad cause I has such high hopes for this project only to be assured that I will never hear anything again as great as there first release. my sum is the dude who reviewed this must have been on the old bath salts.
Yeah im talking to you Saliva or Salva or whatever the fuck your name is.
Great album. It’s little bit different then the first one, but still great
If you say so. Keep trying to boost that user rating! Thanks for explaining why it was so great. It was very helpful Qstein. lol
Ok, if you need to know: I personally like the production where beats sit right in the mood of the songs and keep evolving through the tracks and the whole album. Dan and Koala really kept the focus on this one.
Del’s lyrics are imaginative, interesting and full of clever rhymes.
I could go on and on why I like this album, but after all it’s still just my opinion
Great fucking album, Del still got the heat
WTF Inc. is a dick stain.
Yep, total walking abortion…
First album in probably over a year I plan to buy a physical copy of without having heard it first. Del and Dan can’t disappoint.
WTF inc you are a moron. Keep your ignorant angry ass away from our progressive thinking music. Ya bish
good album
the first one was so much better. Dans production killed it for me, never thought i’d say that
Got the pre-order CD today & been bumpin’ it all day. yeah, part 1 is better but I like Event II. 4 Stars
fire
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It’s good, not great. It can’t possibly live up to the first.
Beautiful.
good. but first album was better
almost perfect album
The album is fantastic. If Deltron 3030 NEVER came out, but this one did, this would be an instant classic as well. People might not like this one as much as the original, but you can’t deny it’s a GEM, especially with the shit that has come out in 2013.
5 stars IMO
nah yo this album laking flow
the first was a masterpiece
I can’t believe they’re back. Deltron and Dan the Automator! simply amazing. track 2 on repeat!
absolutely amazing
I found the theme a lot more focused, and it has excellent production. Del’s on top of his game here. This is a great concept album that fits well into the Hip-Hop, rock AND prog-rock genres. This is fun to listen to and gives you a lot to think about, too.
I love prog rock mixed with Hip Hop it just gets my nerdy emo juices flowin’! This is the coolest trendy hip hop album all year! Me and my rich white friends will be bumpin this all the time in my dads Jag on our way to the mall to buy more skinny jeans! Freshie Fresh!; )
@Beetle Stank Puss
what did you smoke? rich white kids dont like hip hop or prog rock, and this album has 0 prog rock elements tho
white kids prefer your heroes like Lil Wayne and Rick Ross. dumb ass nigga
nothing to say about “do you remember”?
I read somewhere that Dan completed the beats for this album all the way back in 2008 or so. He was just waiting for Del to get motivated.
It’s quite good but not as good as the original.
DX gets pretty over-zealous with certain things. This is one.
best album
was really disappointed with this album
the first a classic tho
Massively overrated by nerds.
stop hating this album
It’s funny, Yeezus has the best future type hiphop beats I’ve heard so far, better than this, this sounds like early 90s Kid n Play rap
Maybe you should listen to some El-P and stop crying about “who has the freshest future beatz”
You mean like the beats I did for Kid N Play? Yeah, thought you didn’t know that. Step off. Kanye wishes he was where the Automator is at on the boards.
Ever heard of deathgrips?
nobody is going to buy this record, especially not young men in “the hood” who are preoccupied with whatever. that leaves the majority who actually know/care who joseph gordon-levitt and david cross actually are — and those are not so much rich white kids, but people that hit the summer music festival circuit.
if you listen closely to his lyrics, del is clearly speaking to a multicultural audience that will download the record but pony up $100 bucks for a live performance. why else would would he use dude from Rage (for example) instead of the real prophet of rage: Chuck D on “Melding of the Minds?” it’s what political analysts call a “dog whistle,” and it’s a smart play in an era where most rappers don’t really have careers.
del sounds ridiculously focused and confident, a true pleasure to listen to for this old head. he’s trying to talk about class warfare, runaway technology and the surveillance state without identifying with the victim.
depending on how much of a natural hater you are the production will sound either dated or classical… but not wack by any means.
To all the haters, pump this album through some good headphones or a good stereo. Then you’ll know. This album’s a masterpiece and keeps getting better with each spin.
people don’t “spin” their music anymore. It progresses over a linear wave-length in peaks and valleys representing the highs and lows that combine to form the physical shape and body of a musical composition.
^ Shut up, Meg
Lol @ Peter. Seriously! “…valleys and peaks.” Get all the way the FOH.
By the way, how do I listen to my vinyl on my record player at home? Valleys and peaks? Or Spins? Or both…
The album cruises and bounces between 2001 and 3040. Literally, the future past of rap. My 4 stars it got.
Everything the fans could have asked for? C’mon DX! The production really disappointed me! It’s still good, but nothing close to the original Deltron album. There really isn’t a track on here that’s a definite banger. Not even ONE track that is no doubt ridiculous. C’mon Dan! Dan The Automator is better than this!
Good concept album, happy I heard it, but not sure home many replays it will get. (3.5/5)
ddd