In Frank Miller’s Sin City, the character Marv is described in the following passage: “[M]ost people think Marv is crazy. He just had the rotten luck of being born in the wrong century. He’d be right at home on some ancient battlefield swinging an axe into somebody’s face. Or in a Roman arena, taking his sword to other gladiators like him.” The same can be said of Bumpy Knuckles – or Freddie Foxxx, if you prefer. On his latest offering, KoleXXXion, Bump unabashedly goes to war, with ferocious rhymes serving as his weapon of choice.
“My Thoughts” is an ominous introduction that’ll get the listener screw-faced within seconds, as a calm Freddie Foxxx is audibly on the edge of exploding on the mic. Thinks amp up on the frenetic “Shake the Room,” (which features a surprisingly outstanding Flavor Flav) but it’s not until “wEaRe aT WaR” until Bump is fully snarling on the mic. As Bump chin-checks wack emcees, calls out bootleggers, and pays homage to fallen comrades, it’s apparent that the New York native’s lane may be well-worn, but he operates very well within it.
Many emcees that have been in the game for as long as Bumpy has suffer from the same issue: they complain about how their status doesn’t match up to the quality of the music they’ve put out. Regardless of whether those complaints are valid, they always end up detracting from the quality of the music. To Bumpy’s credit, he doesn’t fall into the trap of self-pity and self-righteousness that many of his peers have. Dude gets on the mic and rhymes – period. His rhetoric may get repetitive at times, but by and large the gritty Strong Island vet gets the job done.
While Freddie Foxxx remains just as ferocious on the mic as ever, kicking in the door on every single track; so it’s a little disappointing to see that DJ Premier didn’t come quite as prepared. While blaring horns provide the perfect antihero music for Bump on “They Key,” “Ownit,” is little more than an uninspired piano loop. Fortunately, the bad ends up being the exception, not the rule. “More Levels” features well-timed bass and outstanding use of vocal samples courtesy of Royce Da 5’9 and Truck Turner, while Preme displays his mastery of piano loops and breakdowns on “eVrEEbOdEE.” Given that many of these beats were rejected by other artists, the listener can’t help but wonder: which ones were passed over because the emcee wasn’t feeling them, and which ones were passed over because the emcee wasn’t capable of rhyming over them?
Some listeners may take umbrage that the tracks “P.A.I.N.E.,” “The Lah,” and “The Gang Starr Bus” have appeared on previous projects, but their inclusion serves to bolster the project, than detract from it. The listener can gain just as much insight from the inclusion of these select cuts as from the reflections included at the start of various tracks. Ultimately, that’s why KoleXXXion is such an appropriate title: it’s a compilation of Bumpy’s thoughts, executed unapologetically in his classic style.
Yes. Yes. Yes. Copped the day it dropped. Thoroughly impressed.
Lol 4 stars. Album sounds fucking dated.
Premo’s beats aint what it used to be and these beats are all rejected beats by other rappers like jigga, jadakiss etc.
Im getting sick of Bumpy with his old style and saying nigga after 3 words contstantly.
This is just the evidence that they just retire.
Dont get me wrong im a Gangster fan but this album sounds like 1998
Yeah sure, youre a Gangstarr fan but still you spell it Gangster. Get the fuck outta here and go listen to Lil Wayne.
This album is fire! FYPAU
@ beta:
eat a dick. and did i say i listen to lil wayne? what do you wanna say with that bullshit comment. who gives a fuck about how i spell gangser? is that a problem fucking homo
let’s say that he just know there was a great a group called gangstarr, lol.
I’m questioning your knowledge about Gang Starr, Premo, Bumpy, etc. You do know that this isn’t Gang Starr, right? It’s a Bumpy Knuckles/Premo album. And how can you misspell the name of one of the greatest groups? IJS.
All you guys who call these music “dated” don’t know that GOOD MUSIC IS TIMELESS so it’s NEVER OUTDATED,your bullshit sound is this one that will be buried for the rest of humanity past 5-10 years!!!!
Support Hip Hop please and not POP SHIT!
I’m a big Premo fan but this album is average. I dont care if its so called real hiphop. All the beats remind me of the 90″s and Bumpy’s also. I heard better beats by premo and better rhymes by Bumpy. This is a big disappointment. Go work with Christina Aguilera Premier
Isn’t that what any Premier fan would want, 1998? I’m sorry, but if you want that fresh shit… look what it’s done (or hasn’t, rather) for Termanology and Blaq Poet.
This is exactly what I wanted. I don’t get these damn kids…
do you realize that the 90’s were hip hop’s peak??
it’s not premier’s best work, but there are def some bangers..”more levels”, “eyeneverputmy4cusaway” (rejected kanye beat), “weare at war” (rejected by immortal tech), “BAP” (which was intended for jay-z) just to name a few
I’m a HUGE Bumpy and Premo fan but this album is average at BEST. While Bumpy is on point with the rhymes… Premo’s tracks on this one are below average.
Too many of you niggas like shit just because it’s done by your heros but really listen to the music. In the same way that both Phonte and 9th Wonder’s last albums were subpar.
Just because an album has Premo or 9th Wonder tracks doesn’t automatically make it hot as they’ve produced a few wack joints as well.
I was expecting to hear classic Premo and that’s not what I got.
Phonte and 9th wonder were average? LOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOL
I absolutely agree with the last comment: the album is average and boring at times.
Of course it’s always nice to hear Freddie Foxxx spitting over Premier beats and I also prefer this album to any B.O.B, Lil Wayne or Drake album (not dissing, just saying) but I also expected something better…
This is a great album, if youre a real Premo and Freddie Foxx fan you need to check this out!!
Good review
dopeness by Bumpy and Preme
Album is fire. Kids want lex luger and clams casino type of beats fuck that this that boom bap
I think the album is really good. Its not Bumpy`s best work, neither its Primo`s. Still is one of the best albums of the year, without a doubt.
Tracks like The Lah, FYPAU and Word Is Bond show us that real hip hop is still bumping through Bumpy Knuckles/Freddie Foxxx and through the best dj of the genre`s history.
Dopeness.
Ill give it a 5 just to raise the bar for this punk motherfuckers.
Peace from Argentina!
Dope!
Considering some of the beats were left over from other projects, Bumpy and Premo did a great job. Classic boom bap, just what we need in this day and age of autotune this and that. One emcee and one producer, reminds me of the good ol days.
album is a big disappoitment only bitching about todays raps bla bla bla and beats are fucking dated
beats are dated? Whats that supposed to mean? Fuck you! Go listen to Timbaland bitch.
Props to the best dj to ever do it. Preemo!
@ Beta
Are you Premo? Whats your fuckin problem?
Who says that i’m a Timberland fan. The beats are dated because they sound like its 1998!!!!! You gotta be fresh and inventive the beats but probably you dont know this because your 12 years old and this is your first premo and bumpy album!!!!
Ill repeat what I said before:
(And no, Im not preemo, you dumbass. And Im not 12. Im a Gangstarr fan and this shit is dope. What do you want? Preemo doing some club auto tune type of shit? The beats are fresh, and youre stupid.
“I think the album is really good. Its not Bumpy`s best work, neither its Primo`s. Still is one of the best albums of the year, without a doubt.
Tracks like The Lah, FYPAU and Word Is Bond show us that real hip hop is still bumping through Bumpy Knuckles/Freddie Foxxx and through the best dj of the genre`s history.
Dopeness.
Ill give it a 5 just to raise the bar for this punk motherfuckers.
Peace from Argentina!”
All you guys who call these music “dated” don’t know that GOOD MUSIC IS TIMELESS so it’s NEVER OUTDATED,your bullshit sound is this one that will be buried for the rest of humanity past 5-10 years!!!
Support Hip Hop please and not POP SHIT!
Fuck all these niggas dissing Premo’s beats. Niggas dont know what real hip hop is. Lil Wayne ass clones!!! I bet they believe that Drake and Nikki Minaj albums are true to the form. Get the fuck outta here. Yall can kiss me and Premo’s asses with headphones on bumping Ass Money/Dumb Money records. Fuck yall. Gangstarr for life bitches!
@ mr porter
why dont you respect the opinion of other people? Not everybody has to like the album. And if poeple dont like it why do they must go to listen to lil wayne.
Who says that these people like lil wayne.
Weare at War, FYPAU, Word Is Bond, D`Lah…
Yo aint feeling these beats? Fuck you then!
Album is dope, but “The Blaqprint” was better. But some of the beats these other rappers rejected just goes to show you dudes have horrible taste in beat selection. Immortal Technique should have banged out “Weare At War,” glad to see “Greatness” got jacked from Nick Javas, and even though Kanye passed on “Eyeneverputmy4cusaway,” Preemo should have shopped it to Raekwon for Cuban Linx III. Shit is so his style and fucking raw.
Album has a few dope joint but some guys are right here the sound is dated. It’s a throwback album. It’s decent 3 stars but nothing special. So stop whyning you wankers
Next Level. Best of 2012 so far. Period.
good shit
Real music real skill, good album.
O.G. Wisdom
Pros: The beats and lyrics are crazy dope. Overall Premier came with more diverse beats and not his usual cookie cutter sound.
Cons: Too many tracks and not enough features.
Overall 4 stars. This shit is dope
feature for what so bumpy can shit on them? this album is a banger. WE WANNA HEAR THAT PREEMO SHIT, BOOM BAP UNDERGROUND THAT PREEMO SHIT!!!!! is it me or does greatness sound like B.I.G. Kick In The Door?
Basically its good, old fashioned boom bap presented in a decent form. I’m sorry, but I gotta agree with a few commenters. It sounds a little outdated sometimes and its certainly not Preemo’s / Bumpy’s best work. It has moments, but overall its not more than 3/5 – but at least its real hip-hop.
Lol Bumpy rhyming over beats which were all rejected by others rappers you know why? because Premo’s beats sound fuckin dated.
Premo fell of after 1998.
Agreed about Preem…though I rather think he fell off soon after Ownerz
I haven’t heard the album yet, but people been saying the same thing about Preemos beats for a while now, they sound “dated.” So y’all want him to make beats like everyone else? Preemos beats have a distinctive sound that no one has duplicated. 20+ years in the industry and all you no it alls say is it sounds dated. SMH.
Get tha fuck outta here with that “sound dated” type of shit.
The album is really dope, that typical boom bap ny sound that I personally were waiting for.
Premo was better on that Wasi P mixtape than this. Not a fan and Premo is my favorite producer.
those were all old beats
used to love preeme and bumpy, just think the times have changed. most of the songs on this were old, i swear i heard some tracks like 8 years ago.
that’s why it’s called “kolexxxion” you moron, did you even read the review?
i feel like preimere is as good as the sample he flips most sample producers r but who does it best was always priem n yea if these r beats that tha jays didnt use then they aint his best beats ne way but ta me he like not tryin ta move wit the time he is like the old man stuck in his ways n he wants the 90s sound so i cant hate
it was an okay album although the flows and beats got repetitive
Premier has been makin the same beats for 20 years
Yeah, and we should be thankful for that. What do you want him to do? Some Timbland tiype of shit?
Preemo you are ill
SALUTE!!!
premier!
Everytime Premier djs he gets heckled. Whats up with the purple lip. Put the crack pipe down.
Premier got fired from sirus radio. He should of got fired from makin this piece of shit garbage record. Guru would spit in his face and bumpys face.
yeah, well Guru’s gone and hiphop moves on. Sirius radio? Who the hell listens to that bullshit? not any hiphop heads that I know of.
Fuck all the haters. What the fuck are you talking about? Album is dope. “STRAIGHT BOOM BAP HIP HOP”! Fucking faggots…
this album is a piece of shit
how is it people cant still get their heads around the beats being ‘passed over’ rather than ‘rejected’? If yr an MC you know you’ve been given a beat before and said ‘I love it, but I dont wanna rhyme on it’ bc its not pushing your buttons…doesnt mean the beat is subpar at all
this will serve as an appetizer for the NYGz album.. can’t wait 4 it
kolexxxion’s a 3,5
Old guys trying to make a dollar out of .15 cents.
Go listen to Wacka Flocka
the album is FIRE!
Ya’ll fools crack me up sayin Premo sounds dated
THAT’S HIS SIGNATURE SOUND, BOOM BAP..wtf do you want him to sound like??
Premo & Bumpy Knucks: Game Recognized
gamerecognize.com
Yall got your heads so far up his ass.That you cant smell the shit. Because this shit stinks.
Two old school heavyweights on a collaborative effort, and some people are complaining that it sounds old school? Of course it sounds fuckin’ old school. Jesus, people.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLgJ7bnzXPE&feature=relmfu
great album, check out some of our stuff.
Premo is one of our many influences for production
Premier + Bumpy Knuckles = instant classic!! As Funk Flex would say ‘If you acting funny you a hater!!
This can’t be a 4 star record. I appreciate what these guys were trying to do, and I know that this album is in fact a Collection, but how many times is Bumpy gonna call other rappers whack while rhyming as simplistically as he does? Why is a 40+ year old man barking? Preme literally gave this dude throwaways and mixed it in with a couple songs that are already out there. If we don’t hold REAL hip hop to a standard it will eventually be no different than the stuff we criticize for being weak. I’d give this joint a 3 give or take half a point. Let’s be serious..
“Why is a 40+ year old man barking?”
hahahahahaa
got him there
Premo is possibly the greatest ever, but this shit is not what it should be.
far from the bangers he made last year:
evidence – you
edo g – fast lane
torae – for the record
etc.
You gotta admit though, that “my thoughts” is banging!
This is the sound of a complete collaborative effort. if it was released it then it would have been an instant classic. soak this one up… Bumpy Salute.
U young cats need to pay respects to a couple of real hiphop veterans. damn good album!
shit is fuckin boring son – yo have u old-ass backpackers ever heard of doing anything even remotely creative?? what a repetitive piece of shit u unoriginal bastards — when u give birth to something don’t mean u gotta fuck it to death !! yall a bunch of old-ass child murderers
and don’t gimme no if it works then stick to it bullshit that is a seriously flawed argument — the greatest artists show the ability to expand and explore over the course of a career
— backpack rap WAKE the fuck up
I strongly recommend you to listen to it again and think about what you just said again. You cant be more wrong man.
Seriously agree with futuristik. The album nearly put me to sleep over and over. Rhymes are boring as hell. Same reguritated preemo beats from last ten years. How brainwashed do you have to be to like this?
No one makes beats like Premier, yet he is “unoriginal”. Premier and Freddie Foxx originated their styles but they are “unoriginal”. Hmmmmmm… I think someone needs to pick up a dictionary.
No one makes beats like Premier but he is unoriginal. He originated this style, yet he is unoriginal. Hmmmmm…. As an MC, Freddie Foxx originated his own style, yet he is unoriginal.
Preem sucks these days
You suck if you cant appreciate great beats like these. Im trully sorry for you my friend…
Primo took it back to the Gangstarr era with the beats. It may seem simple to cats that werent alive back then, but if Jeru was spitting over these tracks with Freddie Foxx, Lil Dap and Big Shug back in 96, we would be calling this shit classic.
Shits got an old school, grimey, NY feel to it. This shit is for those from that era that still listen to old and new hip hop. Im sure they would like to get some young fans out of it but thats really not the target market.
Oh, and by the way, this aint even backpack rap futuristik, fucking bozo.
I don’t know what the boom bappers are hearing here, but this album was mad disappointing. I like Premo like anyone else and have defended him against accusations of falling off, but this album is possibly the wackest thing he’s ever attached his name to. Freddie is Freddie…the game done passed him by, but I can deal with that…it’s what sounds like throwaway beats that gets me. This isn’t up to standards.
Are you sure you listened to this album? I mean, cmon dog:
BAP, Weare At War, FYPAU, DLah. You think these beats are wack? Then I recommend you a visit to the otolaryngologist
you must be a government agent against the rise of hiphop 🙁
dope
This album is headnoddin’ greatness!
this is the hardest shit 2012 has to offer so far, and these fake-ass kidz do nuthin but complain. fuck it, support this non-progressive hardcore nyc shit, it’s worth your bucks!
There’s some bangers on here. Premo’s beats are hard-hitting as usual. For those that say that his style is dated, this album won’t convert them into fans but some of us like his consistency. Bumpy, however, is past his prime and has been for some time now. The worst thing they did for this album was combine his newer tracks with his classics (like “D’Lah”) because it only goes to show how much Bumpy has fallen off. Overall, the beats save the project from being a clunker.
Review sounds about right to me.
Dope review
Could’ve been better. I’d rate it like a 3.5/5. I’d agree that it didn’t seem like Premo was prepared. Still looking forward to the NYGz album though.
yeah dog
this album is great. I really cant understand all the people claiming Primo wasn`t prepared. He released a lot of dope beats throughout this album.
B.A.P., Evereebodee, Weare At War, P.A.I.N.E., FYPAU, The Lah and Word Iz Bond are totally dope and well constructed boom bap beats.
I personally loved this album.
Peace from a southamerican hip hop head.
PS: 4,5 Stars, but Ill give it a 5 just to raise the bar and express my satisfaction with Freddie & Primo for giving us nothing but greatness.
Man as soon as my thoughts played, i swear i wanted to slap the shit outta my cousin, shit. Nah man for real though what a way to start an album with such an hard track. 5 stars the whole shit made me screw faced as walked to and fro all week.
Iam gonna gonna admit though, the album didnt seem as good as dj p’s previous works.
AH fuckin hell another typo.
typo as I walked
album of the year so far!
This is the HOTTEST ALBUM this YEAR!!!!!! It Shit’s on Nas’ Album!!! Yea I said it What!!!!!?