yeah, i mean we all know not to go to rappers for political views, but damn just seeing him line up to check that "revolutionary" box again without even thinking about the cuban peoples he wants to champion there...then again, much of the OT thread did the same i guess
Irish, are you willing to share your thoughts on the Tribe album? I would have thought you of all people would be its most vocal evangelist. I understand if you need more time to think on it though.
it's a lot, to be honest. very definition of bittersweet.
going in i already had apologist type mindset, because let's be honest: how many times does "getting the gang back together" (much less after 18 years) go well? you usually get rehashed stuff too afraid to break away from classic material, or going so far in the other direction you create a product nobody - old school or new - wants. see: Compton, A Better Tomorrow, whatever Em has done in the last 10 years or so etc.
but this thing hits the ground running, and while i actually like what pitchfork said about it not sounding like '93 or '16, it actually feels like picking up where they left off: coolout shit with a message that's not preachy about it. and unlike that time the Beasties decided to rant about Bush, this is the kinda stuff they've been on since in the day...so some of it is powerful shit, and crazy relevant, but even that's kinda depressing cause you realize how little we've made it since then too.
Tip is one of my all-time favorite MC's, and we actually get more out of Phife than i expected too...crazy heartbreaking reading that interview about them just patching things up & having such a great time in the studio, no one even noticed him being ill. Jerobi holds his own, Cons gets time (but not too much like Beats, Rhymes & Life), and their students - Kendrick, 3 stacks etc - show up and have solid contributions too. Busta's been like operating at half his old chakra levels forever now, but you literally couldn't do this without him on it (like, imagine a proper "final" Wu album without a good reggie verse).
it kinda goes of in its own direction towards the end, but i feel like that's always been part of the formula too.
i expected a bookend album that you love for what it represents (but don't really bump much), and i got hands-down my AOTY. i think the vinyl drops a few days before xmas, and i couldn't be happier.