X Clan - To the East, Blackwards
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Free Music Notes for To the East, Blackwards
Free Music Review: Talented, but racist
Hit: 4 Stars
Brother J is definitely a gifted MC and X-Clan owns a piece of hip-hop history, but can you say RACIST?
"Silly and Magilla. Chocolate and vanilla.
How could polar Bears swing on vines of the gorillas. please"
Imagine if a white artist said something like that about blacks.
Free Music Review: Strong messages, strong group, good music
Hit: 5 Stars
I was fortunate to find this little gem, an important document from 1990 that will live for quite some time. I am white, but you can be any race and still recognize and respect intelligence and power when you hear it. Just look at the cover and their picture on the inside, where they are dressed up in African leather clothes (not dashikis) and African jewelry and they all look older than 30. I knew I was getting into real black music with a purpose and with power. One would never think of these guys as rappers and hip hoppas by their appearance. But this is what makes X-Clan unique. They kind of take Public Enemy's approach and cause to their music and even take it a step further.
I knew this album was going to be less about the music and more about actually spreading powerful and rude-awakening messages to the black community in America. I said 'Bring It On!' This album here is further proof that hiphop has a purpose, and a testament to hiphop that these strong African nationalists chose to spread their messages through hiphop rather than any other type of music or public outlet. Apparently, they were very visible in many other aspects than just music. One has to wonder if they grew up practicing and living hiphop, or if they studied their ancestry and roots and then decided to spread their knowledge through hiphop.
Even though it's not their primary focus, the music on "To The East, Blackwards" is very entertaining and consistent. 'Grand Verbalizer' Brother J has a very nice flow and obviously is incredibly intelligent and gifted. He spits not only with a purpose, but also with a passion. Even Professor X saying, "This is protected by the red, the black, and the green, with a key, Sissies!" on every single track does not get old. The album starts off strong with "Funkin' Lesson," and "Grand Verbalizer, What Time Is It?" is great too, although it borrows the beat from Eric B. and Rakim's "Microphone Fiend." I don't think they cared too much about having cutting-edge sampling and production here, it doesn't bother me. "Tribal Jam" has some authentic African music backing it, while tracks 4 and 9 both have rock elements suprisingly (both songs are essential). Maybe my favorite track is #10 "Verbs of Power" which starts out with Prof X naming off how many African elements have been stolen by America (most recently, KRS-One's book "Ruminations" elaborates this as well) and Brother J hits home with some of the strongest lyrics he has to offer. This classic album (and document) ends off with a suprising pop-sample ('There's no beginning, and there is no end') on "In The Ways Of The Scales," but it makes since with what they're talking about.
If you haven't yet figured, this album could very well be studied for more than its musical content. It's not THAT overwhelming or in-your-face about its pro-African content. Nonetheless, it's still a classic hiphop album that hit us in one of hiphop's best years (1990). Brother J can suprisingly kick it like few others, and although his arguments and points are quite vague and random at points, his lyrics are compelling and passionate while delivered in a laid-back style. No matter what race you are, it would be to your benefit to pick this album up. I wish more African-American's and rappers would have heeded the gems given here, so maybe we wouldn't have gotten so much of the crap out of the mainstream of rap these last few years (and the biased opionions towards all rap music now). Oh well, if you're reading this, it's not too late for you. Do whatever you can to get this one! Vanglorious...
Free Music Review: AWESOME ALBUM
Hit: 5 Stars
This CD album was not excepted because black teenagers and adults reject there own culture and religion, and "ALWAYS DISS>" so to speak! they diss it! which is a shame ! they do not study any philosophical book .All they want is "Sex and perpetrating like they the mack or the pimp" and flaunting there "Im tough" attitudes , but like I said : The blacks around my way diss it! they like Snoop Dogg for example as he always rap about partying and getting with some woman in a bed him and others as if thats the only goal in life! But as for me ......I give this album 6 stars if there was a such thing as six stars !!!!Free Music Review: Fresh, Very Fresh
Hit: 5 Stars
This album is very good. I could go on about this album. When I first purchased and heard this album, I realized that I was a sleeper. I needed to wake-up to reality. The fact that blacks have lost our culture(s), language(s), and even our god. We only know what is popular or what our parents taught us. X-clan brings us the truth. P.S. I can never get enough the Red, Black, and Green.
Free Music Review: THIS CD- IS PERFECT!
Hit: 5 Stars
You know whats funny? This X-Clan CD was ignored in the 1990s all the FM radio staions focus on LL cool J.back then , Brother J is religious and a philosopher! and quess what? The humble old school artists did not make near as much money as the so-called new school artists today, and these guys sound and teach better than these new hiphoppers in 2004 teaching and glorifing "PIMPIN, and SEX "-Brother J perfers to live the humble life- they can keep there titles,belts, and 12 cars.....suckers! Hay! check out the movies: THE GODS MUST BE CRAZY 1 + 2 1984 this movie will teach every one about the BUSHMAN! Little people that live in Africa - check it out someday!