Samstag, 5. Januar 2019

The Last Poets - Holy Terror (1993)

With "Holy Terror", the Last Poets lay their claim to be the originators of hip-hop. Containing some of the Poets' most trenchant political and social lyrics, "Holy Terror" shows the Last Poets, Umar Bin Hassan and Abiodun Oyewole, still as fiery and sharp as ever.

"Homesick" and "Pelourinho" are descriptions of slavery that are as vivid and riveting as any movie. "Black Rage" paints a portrait of urban hell that will chill any listener to the bone.

The album is also superbly produced, with a funk sound that supports the lyrics while never overshadowing them. Credit is due to seminal producer Bill Laswell, who, armed with a first-class band made up of P-Funk alumni George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, and Bernie Worrell, along with Grandmaster Melle Mel, constructs dense, intricate grooves that are simultaneously modern and traditional.

For both fans of the classic Last Poets albums and newcomers interested in one of the missing links between classic funk and modern hip-hop, "Holy Terror" is worth a listen. 

Tracklist:
1Invocation
2Homesick
3Black Rage
4Men-tality
5Pelourinho
6Funk
7If We Only Knew
8Illusion Of Self
9Talk Show
10Last Rite

The Last Poets - Holy Terror (1993) 
(320 kbps, cover art included)      

7 Kommentare:

-Otto- hat gesagt…

Still relevant after some 22 years. And... wasn't the cover done by Mati Klarwein (of Bitches Brew and Abraxas fame)? Thanks, zero!

Anonym hat gesagt…

Yes, the cover is from a 1971 Mati Klarwein painting called "Zonked" (tells me the booklet). I have the Rykodisc CD with a slightly different cover - the title is more integrated into the upped part of the picture.

This CD has been part of Bill Laswell's short but fruitful Black Arc series on Ryko. Another Last Poets member (Abiodun Oyewole) produced a CD in this series, too, called "25 Years", and Umar Bin Hassan did one in Laswell's Axiom series, "Be Bop or Be Dead" - all 3 stand peacefully next to each other in my collection.

zero hat gesagt…

Thanks a lot for all that background information! All the best to you!

KING hat gesagt…

hello zero the link is dead any chance of a re up thanks

zero hat gesagt…

Now there´s a fresh link...

Cri hat gesagt…

thanks Zero for taking care!

zero hat gesagt…

Always welcome...

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