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REVIEW:
Overall Rating:
 
Lyrics: 
Beats:
Written By:
Dark 7 Invader
It never fails, If you are really searching for that gritty,
raw, underground type album, that is going to make you
reflect on what is lost in today's media representation of
hip hop, Zu Ninjaz first album released this year definitely
doesn’t disappoint, it is quite obvious most of the songs on
this album were recorded around 1995 - 1998, and most hip
hoppers know that this is not necessary a bad thing but a
complement as that was not just Wu-tang Clan's golden era
but also that of hip hop music as a whole.
The album kicks off with a nice short intro, which is quickly
followed up by a deadly mic assault on the track "Slicer”,
this pretty much should have set the standards for the
remaining tracks on the album. “No Retreat” lives up to its
title as 5ft Hyper Sniper, Raw, and Papa Chief's chemistry on
this track is quite evidence that they are no rookie or new
comers in the game. “Ninja Habitat” is an outstanding track as
the sound and feel to it breaks out from the norm of the
album, with a mellow, soulful feel to it, as K-blunt cleverly
laments/reflects on how the environment has got him in the
situation and lifestyle that he currently lives with lines
like “dreams of the dreaded drug dealer gettin’ drawn back/
that’s kindda drastic and dilly, I don’t like that/ that’s why
I drink till I’m drunk, don’t know how to act/ some get drowsy
and drown or catch a heart attack”. It is a refreshing
escapism from what you currently hear all the time in
contemporary hip-hop which are plagued by monotonous topics of
selling drugs, bitches, gangsters and an urge to create
mainstream hits as it is weaved with intelligent words and
advice in addition to the visual picture of real life
experience and struggle.
Although the album consists of a balanced mix and contribution
from each member of the group (which are by the way about 11
of them) excluding the featured guest, 5ft Hyper Sniper and K-blunt’s
dominance is felt all over the track, as they serve as the
backbone of the group. All and sundry knows in order to get a
very good album, the beats also need to be divine and the
production contribution on this album definitely above average
as each track and theme is a reflected accurately by the
beats.
The downfalls of the album comes with such tracks “Specially
Trained Ninjaz” which sounds forced and more like a filler
track to complete the album short life, and even the heavy
weight presence of the late Ol’ Dirty Bastard could not save
this track, ODB cooks up rhyme in the fashion and style of A
son Unique moniker as he runs through the track in a freestyle
like manner with immortal lines like “Stop fuckin wit the
black to keep the old dawg down/ Tell the truth to ya lies so
respect my sound/ Ain’t no punk, and yes I’ll always be around”.
The album itself is really 9 full tracks, which kind of
disappoints especially as the songs average around 3 minutes,
Not sure if this is a bad or good thing, personally I would
have preferred more songs with longer verses and hooks, but it
is always better to get a short good song than get a full
album filled with unnecessary skits and interludes and
unsatisfactory songs. The last track "Blood Thirsty" is an
instrumental, and the beat is nicely arranged, you can’t help
but fantasize about hearing any of the MC's spit over it,
seems such a waste but most fans who are MC's or love
instrumentals would appreciate this track more than the
average listeners.
Regardless of the time it was recorded, the songs are pretty
much up to date, and if I had not read the press review I
would not have known when it was recorded, although based on
the quality one would have compared it to the good albums that
were released around that time when hip hop was not just about
beats, but emphasis on lyrics, concepts and delivery, an
art-form that is slowly and gradually disappearing in today's
hip-hop. The theme of the album is pretty much set in a
Ninja/Martial art background with short-to-the-point songs,
and emphasis placed on each songs being rough, and rugged over
raw production laced by Buddha Monk
Kamikaze and Ninja Scroll. It will be a shame if any sensible
major record label does not snap this up and distribute it
internationally as such efforts can not just be confined to
the net but deserves the true global recognition it rightfully
deserves.
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