Pete Rock and Smif-n-Wessun Deliver a Classic!

D’Andre’s DREAM REVIEW OF: MONUMENTAL
Pete Rock & Smif-n-Wessun

These New York-based hip-hop heavyweights bust out unique beats, and old school rhymes for this super dope collab.  Listen for a limited time here: http://music.aol.com/new-releases-full-cds/#/27

1. Intro

2. Monumental Feat. Tyler Woods & Pete Rock
What a wonderful BIG way to open a CD. It even sounds Monumental! Classic sounding hip-hop that can match any current track hands down. This song makes me want to put my backpack on with my oversized headphones and walk around the city in my own world! Beautiful!

3. Prevail Feat. Raekwon
I absolutely love hearing raekwon spit his signature poetry over raw hip hop beats like this. The way the beat changes up to transition into the various parts is masterful. It is made very clear upfront that we are dealing with hip hop’s finest. Classic tracks, classic stories, done.

4. That’s Hard Feat. Sean P & Styles P
Sean Price has one of those distinctive voices/styles that will always demand attention when he speaks. Pairing him with Styles P of the Lox was a genius idea and the production does a very good job at highlighting both their talents.

5. Top of the World Feat. Memphis Bleek
Not  a big Memphis Bleek fan, however this backed with classic hip hop production I can hear the hungriness in his voice. The break beat style production backed with the vintage string arrangement makes this a track that any hip hop O.G. would want to cruise the city streets to.

6. Feel Me Feat. Rock of Heltah Skeltah & Bun B
How does Bun B deliver flawless verses every time he touch a mic? Rock of Heltah Skeltah is another one of Hip Hop’s unique voices. This is a head nodding track and worth several listens. I love the production on this one and am on my 3rd listen! Its almost hypnotizing the way the piano loop mixes with the scratching and the melodic bass line.

7. Roses Feat. Freeway
I liked the darkness of this song. It had a gloomy feel that wasnt to overbearing. Freeway’s lighter vocal tone was a great way to bring this feeling to the forefront. I will always like dark music because there is a part of me that relates to the tracks and the lyrics.

8. Fire
My least favorite so far. I think the hook was a little to repetitive to me.
I loved the track though. It has that dark feel that I like. The hook lost me each time that it came in though. Cant sleep on this production though! It makes a par song sound above average!

9. This One Feat. Top Dog & Jahdan Blakkamore of Noble Society
The reggae sound is as much a part of east coast hip hop as the graf artist and I respect Pete Rock and Smif and Wessun for placing this on the CD. It’s placed perfectly as if almost to break up the regular hip-hop beats and re-energize the thought process. Not a bad track at all. I can dig it.

10. Do It Feat. Hurricane G
One of my favorite samples of all time. My break dancer friends at hbocrew.com and supadopefresh.com will love this one! Get this to the bboy djs immediately. Hurricane G has a refreshing flow! This is nice and full of nuclear charged energy!

11. Night Time Feat. Pete Rock & Buckshot
Crazy how the very first beat of this track grabs your attention. It has one of those laid back rhythms with the magical sample far in the background. Any rapper alive would love to shoot some lyrics across this track! Makes the night time sound like a dangerous movie that so many kids have no choice but to survive through. Pete Rock and Buckshot lend their assistance to paint the picture VERY well.

12. (I’m a) Stand Up Guy Feat. Black Rob
This track sounds so mysterious yet serious. Each bar sounds like something big is about to happen and my heart speeds and slows with the transitions. Mc’s ripped this one. This that real “man” music right here. I love the feeling it gives me. This track makes me feel invincible! Doesn’t hurt that I am a big Black Rob fan.

13. Go Off
This is so angry! I love the way that this entire project contains music that can project the title with or without lyrics. The music sounds mad. The MC’s rip it accordingly. The scratching only adds dynamic to the already delivered mood setting.

14. Time to Say
Nice samples, nice strings, nice lyrics, basically NICE. The track accomplishes so much with the most minimal sounds splashed here and there. The MC’s deliver with passion. I’ve known about  pete rock and smith and wessun for years but this project has renewed my interest as a fan!!!

Best Rap Project I’ve heard in a long time!!