You miss the 90’s. The new music is cool, but it’s not satisfying your old
90’s Hip Hop needs. As Biggie
noted, things done changed. You want something nostalgic. You want to go back. MC Serch‘s M.any Y.oung .Lives A.go will take you there. This LP doesn’t truly
qualify as a new album. Last year, Serch
dug through dusty boxes in his basement and came up with this: M.any Y.oung L.ives A.go: The ’94 Sessions.
That’s quite an apt title because this album definitely acts as a Delorean. The LP was originally
recorded for Def Jam to act as Serch‘s second solo LP after the split
from 3rd Bass.
Sonically, you get a very distinctive early 90’s New York vibe, to no surprise
at all. Serch swims through Jazz and
Soul samples, finding his flow accompanied by an array of great instrumentals.
Cuts such as “You Never Know,” “Where my Head Is At,” “Last One To Fall” and “Commute”
are great examples of the nostalgia, transporting you to the time this album
was actually recorded. With time, some things can get old, but this here
remains fresh because of the stories within each beat. The vocal sample on “Get
Up, Get Down” sort of sums it up well: listen to the story the drums tell.
The drums aren’t the only ones with stories to tell. After all, Serch was executive producing one of
the greatest albums of all time in Illmatic
at the time after getting Nas his
deal with Columbia (that’s why Hov
knows he paid Serchlite Publishing,
god). He was also working on O.C.’s
legendary Word…Life and getting ready
to become a father. Needless to say, there is no shortage of inspiration here. “Handle
It” is an anthem for an array of people. It discusses the tribulations faced by
unexpected pregnancy, single parent homes, high school drop outs, incarcerated
criminals and b-boys/b-girls, among others. While speaking on serious topics,
he takes a break for a laugh. Creativity and wittiness pour throughout.
“I want to hear the real, so I play the
FM band to the left /Then ask Helen
Keller, ‘Is my flow def?‘”
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The man who would become the host of The
(white) Rapper Show also speaks on race.
“Fuck Bruce Jenner! He acted sort of
funny…/Cause he said to me on TV, /’You know, you even talk like one of them.’/One
of what? One of who? What I do?/I talk just like a human.”
“You Never Know,” “Commute” and “Cats in the Cradle” demonstrate Serch‘s ill storytelling abilities as
well, matched with emotion, served over the aforementioned soulful/jazzy
beats. With few flaws throughout, M.Y.L.A.
proves to be a testament to Serch‘s
status in Hip Hop. No, this may not get applause from the strictly 2007 crowd.
Actually, some might say it sounds dated. Still, M.Y.L.A. is definitely for those who want to step back into the
early 90’s. Why not hop in the Delorean?
You might learn something.
