I will begin with (obviously) track 1 'Key to the City' a track reminiscant of BDP's 'The Bridge is Over' on the beat. I would describe it as very old school - a bit like (obviously) Main Source, Brand Nubian, early 90's kind of sound. The track features Rob Swift on the cuts, and as an early indication of what direction the albums heading in - I would say so far so good.
And on track 2 'UNOWHTMSYN', and this one is keeping the momentum going. The production is alright, and as for the lyrics - They're okay. I would say for anyone who's ever liked that Boom Bap sound in the past than this would be the sort of album you'd like.
An album I would recommend if you're a DJ, and to see why, you only have to hear the next track 'Straight from the Golden', which by the way features 'the always busy' Busta Rhymes, who appears in the 2nd verse, but you've got to give it to Large Pro on this one. For if not anything else the catchy sounding hook, which you can hear right at the start of the track, and which goes a little bit like:
"Straight from the Golden, days i'm loadin, up them things to keep promoting, paper foldin, making quotas, play opponenent, if you want em".
No doubt a rhyme about both Busta's & Large Pro's roots in early the 90's Hip Hop scene, and actually on that topic (of rappers from Hip Hop's Golden Era), the album continues with a feature from two artists who only know this time too well, Cormega & Tradgedy Khadaffi. Two rappers who really brought that Queens, NY kind of sound back in the golden days, and actually this track (Focused Up) is no different. Something largely down to; I would say, the Large Professor production, and in support of this arguement is track 5 "Happy Days R Here".
A track featuring 1/2 of M.O.P, Lil Fame, this one although relatively short continues the albums solid sound, and is only maybe disappointng in length rather than strength. The beat kind of has a bit of a Pharcyde sort of sound about it, and you would guess by the way the beat switches at the end that it's more of a build up track to the Marco Polo prod. title track 'Professor @ Large' which actually is even shorter than the previous, so a bit of a stupid thing to say really, but continueing on, the thought pops in to my mind, so far, that this would be the perfect foundation for a 'Professor @ Large' Remix album. A theory of mine supported by another relatively short track 'Light Years'. A track which sounds a little bit like some of 'the Gorillaz' stuff.
At the start anyway i would have said, but heck that's just my opinion, and definately not for the lyrics, in which actually Large Pro tells it exactly how it is:
"Don't try & say i'm not from the old school kid, this is lightyears, right where - it's supposed to be with the Nike Airs, white hairs, a lot years in my life here, it's EX P - a known power".
So a bit of a new age beat, but one thing that does remain is EX-P's old school flow, right from the start till, well not track 8 (Barber Shop Chops) because this is just an instrumental interlude, but right through to the 80's pop sampling 'Live Again' , and even more on track 10 (Mack Don Illz) which not only features old school flows from also Mic Geronimo & Grand Daddy IU, but also the beat - a catchy boom bap number, keeping in line with that typical Large Pro early 90's Hip Hop sound.
A sound which comes from not only Large Professor as an Emcee, but after all as a producer who has produced on timeless classics for people like Nas, & Non Phixion. So I mean it's only right that there's room for at least one (well actually two incl. 8.} Barber Shop Chops) instrumental, and this comes in the form of 'Sun, Stars, & Crescents'. An interlude before another old school-ish classic which you would think by the sample, was called 'Kick Da Habit'. An obvious title for a song about kicking the habit of a life time.
Something Large Pro can't have managed actually because even after all those years he's still making hits, and track 13 'L.P Surprise' is another one. Featuring a sample of 'Sly & the Family Stones - I Can Not Make It', this one is certainally a tune, and continueing on, I would say so is track 14, but this is just an interlude, so again continueing on.
The album finishes up with the posse cut 'M.A.R.S' alongside Roc Marciano, Action Bronson, Saigon, & Cormega. Maybe not my favourite track on the album, but 14 out of 15 isn't bad, and actually i don't think 'M.A.R.S' is that bad it probablly just needs a couple more listens - so as verdicts go - i actually quite like this album so I'm going to give it an 8.5/10.
Related: http://chivs86-indexes.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/chivs86-album-reviews.html
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