Planet Asia projects can be like birthday presents. One never knows if what they’re unwrapping will be a prized-possession or discarded, never to be seen again. It’s never been a question of the Fresno emcee’s abilities, more so a question of the artistic choices he makes. Planet Asia and Gold Chain Military’s Chain Of Command lives up to that reputation. Asia’s bi-coastal clique features DXnext alum Sav Killz, and production from the likes of Large Professor. At an early glance, this could be a crew’s creative breakthrough.
From the jump Chain of Command attacks the listener’s eardrums. Every artist, including Planet Asia, is hungry for mic time and with seven artists sharing one microphone, rightfully so. Each emcee is comfortable spitting multi-syllable rhyme schemes, filled with attacking/battle like content. Lyrically, the project is pretty consistent. The rhyme schemes vary from solid to outstanding, though the album lacks show-stopping punchlines or traits that pull individuals away from the pack. Instead, the project sees each emcee devoting a lot of time to showing his crew love.
The production sees the likes of Large Professor, Alchemist, Evidence and DJ Babu manning the boards. On a whole, the production is solid, but never on the cusp of being great. On tracks like “Mad as Hell,” a dope vocal sample, alongside aggressive lyrics, is ruined by soft hitting drums. These types of conflicting textures occur throughout the album. The production and the emcees seldom seem to be on the same page. When the two parties are on the same page, dope tracks like “Pleasure and Pain” can result. When they’re not – and that’s more frequently the case, the aforementioned “Mad as Hell” or “Chocolate Honeys” baffle the listener in cacophony. Moreover, those two blunders play in that order on Chain of Command, making the RBC Records project lose its momentum.
The album’s downfall is the GCM’s choice of choruses. “Pleasure and Pain” is the only chorus that stands out. The rest are either forgettable or unforgettably awkward. Take “Organic Food” for example, featuring quality production from the same ears that brought you Nas‘ “It Ain’t Hard To Tell.” The track title itself is unappealing to many listeners, but coupled with the chorus, and the song’s weakness drown out its strengths. One can’t help but ponder the direction that GCM chose over arguably the best production of the album. It’s one of many decisions that don’t seem to add up and muddy the group’s debut.
The intentions of Gold Chain Military are commendable. Each emcee is blessed with the gift of rhyme and genuinely enjoys what they do. Thee passion that each emcee has seeps out of the project. However, the listener can’t help but conclude that the flaws of the project overwhelm the intentions. Poor choruses, over-top conflicting production leaves the listener of Chain of Command unsettled. It’s obvious that Planet Asia and GCM can rhyme with the best, but their album-making fails to translate from the talent that made the group notable.
Even if this project is as subpar as they say it is, there is no way it deserves 2/5. How the fuck does a Gucci Mane or Wayne or any other garbage artist deserve a higher rating then authentic artists like Asia? Fuck outta here.
They make decent albums. You heard this?
People always say shit like that but you can’t even compare a Weezy album to a Planet Asia album, it’s 2 different ballparks. You have to look at whether they’re good at what they do, whether or not you like what they do.
A 2! thats a bad look.
dude the guy who wrote this review does not know what he’s talking about. poor chorus?!?! personally this is one of the best hip hop albums out this year. If you like strong arm and dont like this. your straight hating, like the author that wrote this article. like a chorus determines how good a song is. That track organic food is one of the best tracks on this project. Luke Gibson needs to go back to listening to gucci mane and lil wayne.
this guy who writes this is a goof, this album is lava
man i’m disappointed at this album. Lyrics are cool but no content, what a waste of good production.
Dude who wrote the review probably used to work for the source. This is a solid album I would give it 3.5 everyone on here spit. Asia out rhymed the whole crew but he does that to everyone but Phil da Agony. Rza said it best ( We don’t need no hooks)
Cali-Co Cuh!!!!
how the fuck can you even knock these guys, their lyrics define hip-hop you fuckin douchebags
two fucking stars are u crazy what the hell type of hip hop are u listening to dun!!
2?
1 for the music, 1 for the production.
THIS ALBUM IS HARD, ITS BETTER THEN A LOT OF OTHER SHIT OUT THERE. I FEEL U THE CHORUSES COULD BE BETTER BUT THESE BROTHERS SPIT BARS. AT LEAST A 3 OR 3.5
This is a sick album, the beats are banging and the lyrics are catchy as hell. What the fuck is the reviewer thinking. This guy is a complete douche and has no business reviewing dope hip hop music.
These guys can destroy a lot of super groups, I will say the content is not all there but the battle rap, bar for bar style they have is just a glimpse of what these guys are capable of. I would say cop this album, the reviewer probably listened to this album for 10 seconds a song and chopped up some bullshit review. These guys are elite, hip-hop cats who make the mic just glow every verse, fuck the reviewers comments!
COP THIS ALBUM, TRUST ME, IF YOU LIKE REAL HIP-HOP, THIS IS THE ALBUM!
You’re a fuckin idiot for saying that shit homie or another tight jean wearing little metro thuglet who don’t know shit.I grew up with DITC and if you think these dudes is better than Big L,Fat Joe(90’s),Diamond D,Showbiz and A.G.,O.C.,and party Arty?…thne youz a clown for real so go juggle some nuts …knuckleheaded fuckboy.
I kinda agree with what review was saying. The guys can spit but does that make a dope album? It’s unfortunate they didn’t spend time making a cohesive album. LOL@Better than DITC
JDOPE YOU ARE A GOOF, LOL AT YOU BUDDY. LOL! THE ALBUM GCM MADE IS NOT ALL THAT COHESIVE I WILL SAY, IT IS ENTERTAINING THOUGH AND IT TORCHES A LOT OF HIP-HOP ALBUMS TO CRISP…HIP-HOP IS EITHER ABOUT STRONG STORY TELLERS LIKE RAEKWON, LITTLE BROTHER, SKYZOO OR ABOUT LYRICISM LIKE PHAROAHE MONCH, GOLD CHAIN MILITARY, AG, RZA….SO IN ALL HONESTY IT IS JUST URBAN ARTFORM AT ITS FINEST….THE ALBUM DID NOT SOUND FLAWED TO ME, THIS REVIEWER PROBABLY BUMPS GUCCI MANE AND GUCCI MANE IS FUCKIN GARBAGE MUSIC WISE, SO JDOPE BEFORE YOU SAY ANYTHING, KNOW WHAT THE FUCK IS UP, YOU ARE A DOUCHEBAG BUDDY!
to compare this group to the lyricist you mentioned is laughable. This effort doesn’t even compare to Binary Star’s project and that wasn’t a classic effort.
they should put some content into their tracks next time, I will say and if they use their same rhyme slinging and elite like hip-hop vocabulary, they will make a ultra hip-hop albums, fuck all the haters gcm is a surprise for 2010
the review was on point, this album was just alright too good to be bad/too bad to be good
I can’t say this LP is a 2. It’s not a bad album though…but I see the reviewer’s points clearly. The DJ Muggs/Planet Asia LP is much better. Not a bad piece of work…but not the best by any means.
these guys did their thing on the mic, hip-hop is a dying art so these guys held it down for this day and age, it deserves at least a 3.5-4
I cant front, these dudes got skill and talent. A little more exposure and they are going mainstream !!
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I cant front, these dudes got skill and talent. A little more exposure and they are going mainstream !!
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this cd is horrendous and i like asia but this one is a dud homies!!!!
It is always a nostalgic feeling to see a group of lyrical dudes with that real hip-hop style come and just tear shit up while hip-hop is still up and running, lot of people have the wrong view on this album.
ITS A LYRICAL, SPIT-FIRE TYPE ALBUM, IT AINT NO FUCKIN GARBAGE SOUTH RAP STYLE, WE ALL KNOW THAT SHIT IS WEAK AS WELL, THIS IS ACTUALLY LYRICS THAT BRING HIP-HOP TO LIFE. NO FUCKIN GARBAGE, LOT OF PEOPLE ARE HATING ON THIS AND DISSING IT UP LIKE ITS JUNK, THIS CD PLAYS IN MY DISC CHANGER, LOT OF PEOPLE ARE INTO LIL DICK WAYNE AND DOUCHEY MANE, THEY ARE STR8 TRASH, THIS ALBUM HAS SOME FIREY LYRICS.
MY FINAL SAY: FUCK THE CRITICS THAT DONT KNOW HIP-HOP AND FUCK THE REVIEWER, THIS ALBUM IS WORTH COPPING, I CAN LET IT PLAY WITHOUT SKIPPING TO BE HONEST, HOT ALBUM HERE!
Which one in the group are you?
http://www.reverbnation.com/artist/artist_videos/659615?sel_song_id=3407393&autoplay=1
strong cuts on this bitch
strong cuts on this bitch
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