Da Beatminerz is
a name that conjures up fond memories for many. I can remember travelling to
school on public transit in ’93 with the Beatminerz‘
classic Enta Da Stage by Black Moon pumping in my walkman; their
dirty beats, sampled from vinyl dug from the crates made me love Dah Shinin’ by Smif-N-Wessun. With Brace 4
Impak the Beatminerz production
skills are still the cream of the crop, but their tracks aren’t quite as gritty
as they were in the early 90’s.
Two songs that immediately stand out are Hustler’s
Theme, and Let’s Talk About It
that feature two of the greatest rappers of all time, both of whom are
unfortunately far out of the spotlight, The
Last Emperor and Krumbsnatcha,
respectively. These two tear apart each of their tracks with what seems minimal
effort. Naughty By Nature make an
appearance on the bouncy Thug Love
which could prove to be one of this summers’ prominent jams. Diamond D rhymes at full tilt on Best At That, and once again provides a
strong example of his underrated lyrical skills. Other notable emcees that show
up for the party are Lord Tariq
& Royce Da 5’9, Jayo Felony & Ras Kass, Freddie Foxx, Talib Kweli, Flipmode Squad, Apani B. Fly
& What What, and even Pete Rock with a surprisingly tight verse. As to be
expected Black Moon and Cocoa Brovaz do make appearances that
are good, just nothing compared to their previous classic collaborations with
the Beatminerz.
But enough about the lyrics, this is a Beatminerz
album so what about the beats? Truthfully, the beats are great. The Beatminerz are still masters at
sampling (and choosing ideal samples) as evidenced by Ghetto 2 Ghetto which samples Grandmaster
Caz and DJ Grand Wizard Theodore‘s
Subway Theme from the film Wild Style. As I suggested before the Beatminerz style is much more polished
than it used to be. The fact that their tracks aren’t as gritty could be taken
as either a pro or a con, depending upon your viewpoint.
One hint; don’t stop the songs before they’re completely done. Interspersed
between many tracks are mini songs that make you crave for a full-length
version.