Rap Essentials 2001
is one of the best compilations in the series’ history. While most of the
previous editions had numerous “filler” cuts, that practice is not
repeated here.
The greatest thing about RE 2001 is
that it has a healthy balance of artists with maturing sounds and those willing
to experiment. Nautilus‘s Record Making Manual is a bit of
misnomer, as he goes sample crazy and dissects a wide array of sounds to end up
with a very funky result. The first track Easy To Slip is musically, lyrically, and thematically sound.
Over a mellow beat Solitair embarks
on a journey through his past, including reflections on his decision to stay
out of the streets after seeing the fate that befell his brother and his
cousin. The lyrically proficient duo of Checkmate
and Concise lend their battle
rhyming talents to the simple but effective These
Days & Times, which also features some remarkable scratching by former
Canadian DMC champ Lil’ Jaz. Dan-e-o‘s Margerine may lack a truly head-nodding beat but he more than makes
up for it with the speed and fury of his break-neck rhymes. Strange To The Eye, the self-produced
track by Frankenstein exhibits the
growth that he has experienced as an artist, the layering of the beat and the
melody are superb. Bishop
rhymes over an interesting beat that sounds roughly like a juggle of Mos Def‘s Mathematics, and is blessed with favourable results. Mood Ruff and Shadez add a pleasant surprise of their own, the laid back Like To Say.
The remainder of the tracks aren’t outstanding but they don’t necessarily
provoke the fast forward button either. Overall, Rap Essentials 2001 is a very well rounded album.