Reflection Eternal: Revolutions Per Minute Review

[Lunatic]

http://raptalk.net/website/content/view/2323/56/

Raptalk gives our readers an early but very in-depth look into Talib Kweli & Hi-Tek's (collectively known as Reflection Eternal) "Revolutions Per Minute" album dropping May 18th.

Enjoy.

Raptalk.Net: Reflection Eternal: Reflections Per Minute Review
Read Full Review Here:
http://raptalk.net/website/content/view/2323/56/

[Lunatic]

Nearly ten years since their debut album was released in 2000 (just a few months off hitting the ten year mark) Brooklyn, New York MC Talib Kweli reunites with mid-west super producer Hi-Tek for their second effort, Revolutions per Minute. Released on Kweli’s Blacksmith Records imprint and Warner Bros. Records, these two under rated walking figures of music are free of major label pressure and deliver us a project the way they feel it should be heard.

Although the project is set to be released on May 18th, I was recently invited and gladly welcomed an invitation by Warner Bros. Records to partake in a Revolutions Per Minute online listening session.

Entirely produced by Hi-Tek, only a few carefully chosen guest appearances such as Bun B, J. Cole, Mos Def, Jay Electronica, Bilal, Estelle, Chester French and more join the party.

The album starts off with RPM’s (Revolutions per Minute), a public service announcement delivering us quite the scientific explanation of the album’s title. After all, in order to enjoy the music, you must understand it. Now onto the real thing, City Playgrounds comes in next as the opening entrée and Kweli introduces himself and Hi-Tek as the Alpha and Omega. Kweli flows on the Tek beat perfectly and offers up one of the best verses we’ve heard from Kweli on the opener. Hi-Tek comes up second, many unaware of Tek’s mic skills as they often get overlooked due to his production touch. City Playgrounds comes in as the perfect opener.

Next up is Back Again featuring RES, a record that leaked nearly a year ago and is responsible for the beginning of the Reflection Eternal reunion. Will leave this one alone since we imagine if you’re reading this, you’ve heard it. Legendary southern MC and one half of the late UGK, Bun B joins Kweli & Tek on Strangers [Paranoid].  Kweli uses quite the unique and quick firing flow on the opening verse = and Bun B joins on the second verse and this style of beat/required flow has fit Bun B perfectly his entire career. We’ve seen more than quite a few Kweli/Bun B collaborations over the years, and this one ranks right up there with Real Women.

Kweli opens up In this World precisely and rightfully spitting “welcome to my longitude and latitude, my attitude is shaped by my surroundings, sky scrapers and public housing, the sheep is running from the sun, the wolves is howling at the moon, it’s tragic how you in the streets ‘cause you ain’t got no avenues, when it comes to rapping who’s the baddest dude?” over a deep, dark and soulful instrumental. Kweli continues on to poke fun at the recession, “the recession, what recession? We been stressing, shit been a mess and we’ve been dealing with this depression since way back but you ain’t gotta say that, that’s the greatest lesson, slave to our possession, greed the devil’s favorite weapon, fight to the death, only the greatest left” - Will leave the rest to your imagination until May 18th. I must say “In This World” is my personal favorite on the album and shines through as Kweli’s best overall performance on RPM.

Got Work is a little funkier and features an un-credited female vocalist on the chorus. This one sort of reminds me of Kweli’s Hot Thing from a few years back. Next up is a cool pairing with Estelle joining Kweli & Tek on Midnight Hour. This one is very upbeat and with an old school feeling, Midnight Hour sounds like it could be a radio favorite without compromising the opinions of true Kweli & Hi-Tek fans.

Hi-Tek mashes together a few instruments on Lifting Off with a break between lines and a calm voice mimicking the title of this one. Lifting Off fits in as the smoker’s anthem of the album as Kweli describes the experiences of what clearly is his favorite natural medicine. We’re in the clear with In the Red as Kweli & Tek handle this one without any help. Opening up with a simple drum beat, Kweli flows slowly and sounds comfortable over a Tek beat.

Black Gold Intro counts down (literally) into Ballad of the Black Gold a deep thought record that speaks to your conscious and touches on global tragedies as Kweli invites us into his mind and offers us his personal thoughts on certain events (including the on-going war). Next up is the posse cut Just Begun with J. Cole, Mos Def & Jay Electronica which leaked online recently to much praise. Filled with classic verses and memorable punch lines, we highly recommend listening to this one ASAP if for whatever reason you’re a stranger to this lyrical classic.

Ironically, we only get 2:22 on Long Hot Summer as Kweli shows off his storytelling abilities about an experience he encountered over at an interested female companion’s residence. Chester French joins the party on Get Loose, a repetitive yet catchy Tek instrumental; French fits the chorus perfectly although it could do without Kweli’s added vocals.

So Good sees Kweli use a stop-n-go flow although the repetitive chorus is a bit annoying. Tek uses another method to flow over his own instrumental but also makes an impressive rapping appearance on here. Bilal sings the chorus on Ends and as usual offers an insightful look into the topic on here. Certainly uplifting and grounded at the same time, Kweli paints money with a unique brush as he raps “my ancestors swung from the ropes now my knot is thick, this is apocalypse now, rising to prominence, never go against the family is God’s father ship, my hypothesis, stop your breath like an octopus holding your esophagus.”

We reach the end with My Life [Outro] but thankfully, Kweli raps on here and gives us one final treat to what is a great album.

Overall, Reflections Per Minute does not disappoint and shall satisfy the hunger that is held in the torso’s of real hip hop fans. With many different types of songs, topics, instrumentals, flows, styles and stories told, Reflections Per Minute offers up a bag of mixed treats that never bores or goes too far away from the music that we all love Talib Kweli & Hi-Tek for. Cop this one on May 18th y’all.

I’d like to thank Warner Bros. & Richie Abbott for the invite. It is much appreciated.

[The-Leak (aka) kingwell (bka) JULES]

Not gonna read, but props for the write-up.

[Action!]

I'm usually a huge fan of Hi-Tek's production how does this compare to his past material?  More of the same? Growth? Lackluster?

He seems to have hit a creative lull recently or maybe he's just layling low.

[Lunatic]

I'd say some of the production on here is creative enough but not too far left field