KRS-One has remained one of the most polarizing artists in rap since his emergence with Boogie Down Productions 31 years ago. He’s kept media and rap fans on their toes with his brand of edutainment, hot takes on history and government oppression, eschewing mainstream credibility, and his disdain for radio airplay.
Now on the thirteenth solo album The World Is Mind, The Teacha reworks his pedagogy professing the importance of accountability and thought power using Hip Hop to decipher metaphysics, create your own reality amid chaos, corruption, fake news and enemies as our leaders. But it’s more of the same that he built his brand upon — lambasting the current state of Hip Hop while pointing to the old school Hip Hop traditionalism to mark the culture’s growth and stagnation; resistance in today’s divided political landscape; Pan-Africanism; and battle rap braggadocio lyricism.
The album employs its share of less than favorable moments “RAW B.E.A.T.,” which misses the bullseye for a club joint according to the chorus with KRS’ attempt at what sounds like quasi-opera tenor crooning. A record like “Keep Flowin” features a dull hook that doesn’t foster the energy it shoots for. KRS has made some of the most memorable choruses in rap history. Certified classics such as “The Bridge Is Over,” and “Outta Here,” are par for the course that he set in the early and middle stages of his career. Additionally, several lyrics don’t reflect his proclaimed yearly practice to destroy the career of rappers in the Billboard’s top 10 chart with a battle rapper written for each of them “Take it back to the Castor bunch/I’m having these rapper for lunch/I’ll give their captain a crunch,” on the acapella “Put Your Ones Up”; “I want to see you coming off/I’m more of a partner than a boss/hitting the top like the North” from the wormy synth keyboard-driven “No Problems”; “They in the past, I’m in the right now/Thirty-city tours, these critics be like, ‘How? Wow!’” from “Don’t Ever Stop”) are cringe-worthy from The Blastmaster.
The album is not without its highlights, however, as relative opener “Keep Clicking” takes it far back in time to ancient African civilization in the South African Khoisan tribal language clicking consonants with his cadence. The beat changes in between verses with a South African choir to transcend time between his Bronx park jam origins and the indigenous villages of the Motherland. Other standout cuts include the inspirational, ambient piano keystroke-laden “My Dreams”; “You Ain’t Got Time,” which boasts of Malcolm X speech excerpts about the perils of criminality; his ode to New York City graffiti artists “Out For Fame,” a quasi-reprise and dope update of the song of the same name from his 1995 self-titled sophomore solo album.
With stellar boom-bap production aside from DJ Desue, British rapper/producer K.O.D., Steez and KRS himself keep the generational torch lit. There are several instances on the record where KRS shoots his figurative 9MM that still has “bang” in his authoritative vocal style, but less kickback in multi-layered wordplay from his days as a standard bearer for the art of MCing during rap’s Golden Era of the late eighties and nineties. See the middling “Same Shit” which sports lyrics, “I’m the same as a plane that lifts off — fly/They they same as a rip off, a lie” and “Y’all need to wake up and join with the woke folk/ignorance is only gonna keep you with them broke folk.” The message simply feels less engaging with simple rhyme couplets.
Knowing the legacy of Kris Parker, he “can’t stop and won’t stop” putting out his message by all means necessary. But as for him mentioning he “wrote and recorded this album in the same week” on “Same Shit,” he may have needed more focus to show that he still has mad izm for fans to revel in his rhyme arsenal.
And this article doesn’t do the writer or the website any justice. Buncha fucking morons writing articles critiquing one of the founders of hip hop. Go fuck yourself especially that fuck nut justin hunte
So a founder is immune to critiques? U feel the same way about afrika bambaataa too??
If your fifty years old saying you where molested 40 years ago be a man should have told someone when it happened
KRS was not a founder of Hip Hop. He was born in the mid-sixties, and Hip Hop was founded in the early 70s. Name a documentary or book where KRS is considered a ‘founder’ of Hip Hop. Do your research, wannabe purist.
a 3 !!! are you out of your mind you give nonsensical rappers like young thug, future a fkin 4 , you are a disgrace smh
yep. if it aint on that naggot shit it aint good. keep up the good work crappopdx.
How the hell do I take you serious when you fuck up the album name in your title? Fuck outta here, go home, sit down, and think about what you did wrong today.
That is the correct name & spelling of the album. Don’t throw stones in glass houses.
He changed the headline to reflect the real album title. You can hop off my dick now.
KRS-1 should record records/albums with the following:
Rick Rubin
DJ Premier
Kanye West
DJ Toomp
DJ Mustard
I’d take Kanye out and put Rza in.
Whoever gave this a low rating needs to sit down somewhere…This is th definition of a boombap hiphop album. This is what hihp is SUPPOSED to sound like.
Old bitch #sailingteam
I wise man ounce told me, NEVER take anything on the internet serious!
Real hip hop. Thank god. I’m sick of hearing the lil boats and future and drakes and lil boosies and big Sean’s lol just need real hip hop in my ears
this album is dope, dont agree with the review. if you love boom bap cop this there is some bangers!
How old is he? I thought darkness was dead for real
If he had been more sexy he woulda had a bigger career
Anyhoo…borrin’ i need me a rich young thug
Your pussy is what’s wrong with hip hop today
this album is pretty good
this is rap.
and not Kendricks horrible wannabe shit
is this flatnose still ‘beefin’ with Nelly? lol!
You don’t like African noses? What you got a thin European nose? Shit racist
Time to hang it up ..he said Take it back to the Castor Bunch…half of the readers parents werent alive ..Time to go touring off of classics…he old af
AND YOU’RE A RETARDED DUMB FUKK LIKE THE REVIEWER..
Ya surprised? Dana Scott is probably the worst reviewer on this site. Do ya mufuckas even get paid for writing this bullshit?
this album is fire as all hell. y’all gave Homeboy Sandman’s album a 3.5., gave Brother Ali an 3.9 and now y’all giving this lp a 3.1. y’all have completely lost your natural ass brains.
True! What’s wrong with these mofos??
The bottom line is from criminal minded to this album can’t nobody out spit him. This isn’t a classic, but it’s a true dope hip hop album, done in the way KRS do.
This is another classic…the more i listen the more it grows on me…the man is truly an artist…
Dope album prob his best imo
LOL really? It’s not bad, somewhat above average, but you mean to tell me this album is better than Return of the Boom Bap, I Got Next, or even his work with BDP? Have a seat, my guy. Relax.
the fact you have the word “hiphop” in the name of your site and gave this a 3.1 is ridiculous. sorry it doesn’t have a autotune, mumbled lyrics, or people with tattoos and 50+ piercings. the song “you like me” on this project is literally for people like you.
i think with this generations lack of ear for real hip hop we need different reviewers for those who review traditional hip hop sounding albums and those who review more trap southern style albums.
personally i think migos album sucks. i think futures albums were terrible. so maybe i shouldnt be reviewing those albums because thats not what i consider hip hop. i think thats why joey badass album and this album wont get a better review because those listening to it are not into traditional sounding albums.
Actually, I’m not much of a trap enthusiast TBH. Sorry but that’s categorically false per your finger-pointing. Plus, I’m a lot older than you think based on my review.
i havent heard this yet but DJ DESUE from Germany is dope!!!
solid album….KRS is 50 years old or close to it and he can deliver and write lyrics better than 95% of all MC’s. Just like anyone can rap these days, I guess anyone can write a music review. Let me write a review of your review: You suck.
5/5..
WHAT THE FUKK YALL SMOKIN’??..DUST/COKE BLUNTS KID??..”WE THE VETERAN BETTER THAN ANY OF THEM AND WE KEEP IT 100″..
3,1 what a fucking joke. Not his best album but still good. 4/5, and problaby in my top 5-10 releases this year.
I really believe the reviewer should take another fresh listen. Not because KRS is a legend that should have a mandatory good rating, I mean this album is really that good.
I listened to this album 7X before I wrote my analysis of the album. This wasn’t a one-time listen analysis because I was looking for the possibilities of it being a grower. But, it wasn’t. I’d go back to Return of the Boom Bap, I Got Next, all his work with BDP, and Now Hear This, which was his 2015 album. Thanks for reading this review and rocking with DX.
I don’t know why, it’s the same reason why you like some music and you don’t like others. There’s something about it that you like. Ultimately I don’t find it’s in my best interests to try and analyze it, since it’s fundamentally emotional.
Dana Scott I don’t know why, it’s the same reason why you like some music and you don’t like others. There’s something about it that you like. Ultimately I don’t find it’s in my best interests to try and analyze it, since it’s fundamentally emotional.
Are y’all here for Hip Hop or here for Drama? Y’all can leave your opinion but some of y’all need to chill the negativity. For anyone whose been following KRS One since BDP days knows Kris always comes correct. KRS sounds better then most of these Wack A** Rappers Rapping today and that’s real talk. I’m not sure if this is a Classic just yet I’ve only heard it twice but from what I’ve heard this LP is dope!!! Don’t pay any mind to Dana Scott who gave this is 3.1 which is straight up foolishness. From the start till end KRS One shows he still has it. Some of my favorite songs are “Show Respect”, “Out For Fame”, “My Dreams”, “You Ain’t Got Time” and “Hip Hop Speaks From Heaven” to name a few. The only thing that sucks is there’s no Posse Cut on the Album and on “Hip Hop Speaks From Heaven” instead of mentioning MCA from the Beastie Boys he mentions Ad-Rock who’s still alive. He even apologized for the mistake and said he plans to remove it off the album. I think he should just remake the song and keep it on the album because it’s dope!!! For all my Hip Hop Heads remember when KRS said “Switch me, mix me, somebody get me Don’t let me rip out my clothes like Bill Bixby, Ripping the Microphone ’till I’m motherf**kin sixty” on Mad Izm with Channel Live? He wasn’t playing “You Sucka’s!!!!”
4 Mics out of 5 like the days of The Source
This is his best work in years, who did the review? I swear HipHopDx is part of the system to destroy HipHop
I wrote this review. Thanks for reading. No thanks to your assumption that we’re out to destroy Hip Hpo. Put it this way… I love KRS, which is why I did the review. But out of his 31 years releasing music, out of all the projects, where does this album rank? What albums of his (including BDP) will you pull to press play on and let it go non-stop without a skip?
Maybe you can skip tracks on this album, but the ones I’ve asked that purchased or downloaded it, they can’t and won’t.
Like Kris said, “you ain’t wit it, get the door….quickly”
Criminal Minded
By All Means Necessary
Edutainment
Sex And Violence
Return of the Boom Bap
KRS One
The Sneak Attack
Kristyles
Just a few I can pull and bang with no skips……
You are definitely are entitled to your opinion, but you are very disrespectful in the way you critique the album. You tend to do it with lots of venom and you almost seem to search for creative ways to insult the album and artist. There is a much more constructive way to criticize a piece of material. This is why you are not liked or respected very much by purists. You claim to be a true lover of the music and culture, but every review I have seen from you towards a legend is disrespectful.. Therefore, you are not credible. Your reviews are a JOKE!! Lastly, you are a coward, because you would NEVER stand face to face with these artists and utter that type of disrespect because you would get your ass kicked! You are the true definition of a coward in the purest form. If your reviews were simply critical, no one would have an issue with you. It is the disrespectful manner in which you operate that is going to get you into a position of getting that well deserved ass whipping!!!
My bad Heat B, my last post was not meant for you, it was for the reviewer
KRS1 is on point and he is right on target with God minds that are apart of the House of Consciousness… Hip Hop is a evolution of the mind so it’s quite ez to see why some people may not be there yet please listen and not let someone else’s perception be yours…peace Bro & Thank You for the God Send
Which is why I never rely on othet reviews. I make my own review. 5/5. Bye.
someone can’t handle the truth!!!!! 5/5 all day!!!!! damn mumble rap fans, kill ya’selfz!!!!
You are definitely are entitled to your opinion, but you are very disrespectful in the way you critique the album. You tend to do it with lots of venom and you almost seem to search for creative ways to insult the album and artist. There is a much more constructive way to criticize a piece of material. This is why you are not liked or respected very much by purists. You claim to be a true lover of the music and culture, but every review I have seen from you towards a legend is disrespectful.. Therefore, you are not credible. Your reviews are a JOKE!! Lastly, you are a coward, because you would NEVER stand face to face with these artists and utter that type of disrespect because you would get your ass kicked! You are the true definition of a coward in the purest form. If your reviews were simply critical, no one would have an issue with you. It is the disrespectful manner in which you operate that is going to get you into a position of getting that well deserved ass whipping!!!
I’m wondering how hiphopdx gave this album 3 out of 5…I mean, bro, do you have something wrong with your ears? You need to listen more carefully. The albums is very good, open your eyes and stop listening to the bullshit a lot of the new generation is listening to nowadays.
Anyone who trips on KRS1 is just not part of reality. This album sounds great.
I like krs but I do wish he would get some cooler beats to accompany his lyrics….. like he’s done in the past with songs like … (sound of the police)… (9mm.)… (mad izm)… (just like that) and that freestyle he did on Tim west wood (hip hop rules) …. but ya he’s a teacher for sure…..
This writer is outta his fucking MIND. This album was awesome top to bottom. Go back to your Young Thug CDs dawg, it’s clear you ain’t up on this
music critics are criticising music don’t know why, it’s the same reason why you like some music and you don’t like others. There’s something about it that you like. Ultimately I don’t find it’s in my best interests to try and analyze it, since it’s fundamentally emotional.