So even though more than a week has passed, I still wanted to commit to listening hip hop classics I’ve never heard, so I gave Stress: The Extinction a few listens between yesterday and today. Here are my thoughts:
Intro: What a fitting way to start the album. It’s like the whole album’s essence was condensed into a two minute track; a mélange of voices groaning before the drums hit and Po psychotically delivers his first verse. It perfectly encapsulates the anger and confusion of this album. Monch also delivers lyrically but it was just a sample of things to come.
Stress: Fuck, this song is awesome. I love the bass before the horns kick in. The horn sample sounds like something you’d hear in a horror movie reveal. It’s an explosion after the tamer intro, with Po and Monch delivering explicit lines like “I'm spreading, like leprosy, throughout the record label” and “My perception of poetical injection is ejaculation The Immaculate Conception.” I love Monch’s verse as he takes on the role of a godlike figure,
“Most of you can't even comprehend what I am saying; To you even in my human form the message I'm relaying”
while he also takes a shit on your musical taste,
“Why do you choose to mimic these wack MC's? ; Why do you choose to listen to R&B?
The end also accentuates the utter insanity of this track. The “CRUSH, KILL , DESTROY, STRESS” chants over the blaring horn sample terrify me.
The Extinction Agenda: The beat on this track is smoother than Stress and the Intro, and although that’s the case, Po and Monch are still brutal as fuck.
Back in the land I expand data for the wack
Leaving multilated bodies lacerated limbs grim sites
But Monch steals the show with this part:
Six hours until dawn, my quest to capture the queen
Without being seen by the pawns
Call me Bishop, bishop takes rook, rook takes pawn
Pawn takes knight, knight takes queen
Queen takes the original King James version (check)
My man Monch floored me with the chess metaphor. Amazing breath control. Despite his faster flow, he still knows exactly when to pause for the added effect (“LET IT LIVE”
.
I also can’t help but notice their chemistry in this track. They truly complement each other perfectly.
Thirteen: Monch amazes me with the change of his inflection while he delivers some lines. If you told me he’s genuinely psychotic, I’d believe you. He also disowns the beat, because fuck the beat, it doesn’t dictate what he says or how he’ll say it.
I'm no slave to a rhythm, I whip it
Then I take its name and change its religion
Then I chop the foot off the fucking beat
For trying to escape the track, now it's obsolete
Black Sunday: This song was ok. I don’t mind the hook, but the song is relatively calmer and less memorable than the other tracks. No lyrical highlights either. Beat is serviceable, I think I’ve heard that sample before though.
Drop Bombs: This interlude is nuts. The opera in the background, the screams, the drums. It’s a perfect lead in to Bring It On.
Bring It On: This song might have my favorite Monch verse. The way he changes up tempo,repeats certain syllables, pronounces and raises his voice for effect, as well as all the syllabic density he fits in; it’s all pretty much perfect
Incisions are made into the brain and then I begin to give em
A lobotomy, follow me!
I'm shapin your br-ayi-yi-ya-in... li-li-li-li-like... pot-der-der-der-ery
(ALL OVER THE TRACK!)
Po’s verse is no slouch either.
Gettin me vexed, while outdated raps get trampled
FE-FI-FOE steps up elevations show
That I'm ahead of your time, specifically right behind a dope rhyme
Rippin shit up at prime time I'm, Optimus Prime/time material
Imperial wizard of vocabularic havoc I eat MC's like cereal!
That's soggy, milky skills like Mister Miyagi
Probably my favorite track off the album in terms of delivery and showcasing their technical abilities
Why: Great song too. I love the sax on this, and they both tackle girl issues with the same sharp wit they exhibit throughout the whole album. Probably one of the few times Po’s verse is better than Monch’s.
Let’s Organize: Best upbeat song on the album. I love the funky bassline and horn sample. Hook pumps me up too. I’m glad Po has the most verses on this, since his voice and flow sounds better on this type of beat than the harsher sounding tracks. I also love the song structure on this album; Let’s Organize -> Keep It Koming is an awesome string of smooth, jazzy songs.
3-2-1: Po once again nails it; great delivery and verse. The way he rides the beat, controls his flow; so effortless. Fucking amazing. Dat bassline.
Keep it Koming: I love the odd percussion on this song; definitely distinguishes it from all the previous upbeat songs, despite its minimal composition. By this point I also realized how this duo can perfectly adapt to any beat that is thrown to them with the same charisma consistently. It’s just a joy to listen to both of them, whether it’s an abrasive song like Stress or something as smooth as this.
Stray Bullet: When y’all were talking about a song concept revolving around a bullet last week, I couldn’t help but think “that sounds kinda gimmicky.” (the Nas song with a similar concept was ok).This song is definitely one of the best songs on the album though. The sample used sounds menacing, as it should. The imagery painted by Monch on this song is astounding, providing vivid detail with each bar. Everything moves in such a fast pace, as if the song is travelling with the bullet. I can’t help but sense some of the undertones in this song. A commentary on gun violence and how random it can be at times.
Maintain: Surprisingly optimistic closer that pretty much encapsulates all the themes of the album. Po delivers lyrically, as he raps about the crime and unemployment rate, injustice with cops, but ends the verse with a more lighthearted, braggodocious tone (being pulled over by cops in your Rolls Royce, making masterpieces in the studio). I didn’t particularly like Monch’s crooning on my first listen, but have grown to like it as it feels more primal and sentimental as he talks about his dad and the depressing situation around him.
Overall, I think this whole album is justified in being called a classic. It sounds abrasive, ominous, yet personal, emotional and funny. No flashy gimmicks. No BS. Just an earnest rap duo spitting their lungs out on some timeless beats.