PRhyme [CD] [PA]

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• Rated 5 out of 5 stars

  A DJ and an MC get together for an ode to hip hop

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  PRhyme, the hip hop duo, consists of the legendary DJ Premier on the beats and Royce da 5'9" on the mic. Premier is probably best know for his work as one half of the hip hop duo Gang Starr, with the now deceased MC Guru. Royce is probably best know for his decades long friendship and professional association with Eminem and the hip hop supergroup, Slaughterhouse. PRhyme, the album, is Premier and Royce's debut as a duo, after having collaborated many times in the past. The best way to describe this album is as an ode to true, old school hip hop. Premo handles all the production and scratches up and down the album. What I've always loved about Premo was that his beats, switch things and can take unexpected turns musically, unlike many other producers who's beats consist of the same patterns repeated throughout the entire song. Basically, Premo shows why he's a producer, and why others just make beats. The snippets you can listen to here and on competitor's websites don't do his work justice. Royce is a beast on the mic. The best way to describe his style is long form. You've got to pay attention to get some of his best work and sometimes you won't get it until a second or third listen, almost like he's dropping the punchline before the set up. I rarely hear a line from Royce that feels forced or out of place. Every line relates to the last and sets up the next. Lastly, you have guest appearances from rappers Ab Soul, Mac Miller, Jay Electronica, Schoolboy Q, Killer Mike, and Slaughterhouse. Singer Dwele also drops in for one song. Guest appearances are always my most feared part of any hip hop album. I've heard many a rap song ruined by either a questionable choice in a guest or a guest just phoning in a lazy verse. Thankfully, the guests all keep up with Royce every step of the way. This album is clearly aimed to people like myself; fans of lyrically dense, 90s boom bap sounding hip hop and it wears its heart on its sleeve. It is not modern and it won't dumb itself down for mainstream tastes. Royce and Premo revel in their love of and skill in this genre of hip hop and I say bring on more! In fact, bring on a Premier produced Slaughterhouse album!

  Posted 10 years ago by Matt003

• Rated 5 out of 5 stars

  There is NOTHING BETTER than a Primo beat!

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  There isn't much that can be said! You have the GREATEST PRODUCER in hip-hop ever in DJ Premier coupled with the tough talkin dimunitive rapper in Royce. A phenomenal pairing considering previous works like the early 2000's release "Boom". I can only say I wish this release was a bit longer.

  Posted 10 years ago by HipHopLives

• Rated 5 out of 5 stars

  Best Rap Album Ive heard in a while

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  When I first heard that royce and premier were gonna do a whole album together I thought I was dreaming, and it has lived up to the hype, you don't even have to skip a track just sit back and listen to some REAL hip hop!

  Posted 10 years ago by JimJet2014