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Rhymefest won a Grammy before he released this, his first album for Mark Ronson's J-distributed Allido label. As one of the writers behind Kanye West's "Jesus Walks," the Chicago-raised MC gained some above-ground notoriety after several years spent paying dues as a battler (he beat Eminem at Scribble Jam '97) and featured guest (Ronson's "Bout to Get Ugly," West's "We Can Make It Better"). And, as he is eager to point out, he hasn't been paid all that much -- he has cycled through a fair share of low-paying jobs. Blue Collar, which involves production work from Ronson, West, Just Blaze, No I.D., and Cool & Dre, tends to remain true to its title and establishes Rhymefest's role as a down-to-earth, no-larger-than-life figure who happens to be exceptionally talented. With a slight lisp, his gruff voice projects several verses that are humbled and humorous without sacrificing any sense of swagger: "Blue-collar rap, why I call it that?/Sh*t, I know more real n*ggas that U-Haul than haul crack" ("Dynomite"); "I know I'm ahead of my time/But I'm behind on my rent" ("Devil's Pie"); "Workin' hard for scratch/Talk sh*t, get your jaw detached" ("All I Do"). His contradictions wouldn't be so significant if he didn't present himself in such a specific way. In "Brand New," he proclaims "Look at all my whips, they're all vintage" and boasts about his "loft with a view of the sea," possessions that don't sound blue-collar at all, unless he's putting a clever spin on referring to a few planks in a tree and a fleet of broken-down Gremlins. "Fever," another calculated shot at the charts, doesn't match his character either, dressed in the kind of production that would sound better behind an adolescent pop-rapper. If you subtract the shortcomings and pay extra attention to the tracks that discuss what things are like in Rhymefest's reality ("More," "Sister," "Bullet"), you'll hear roughly 45 very good minutes surrounded by 15 minutes of fluff. Regard the 45 minutes as the program and disregard the remainder as the commercials.
© Andy Kellman /TiVo
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Jonathan Davis, Composer, Lyricist - Rhymefest, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Jon Frost, Composer, Lyricist - John Hanes, Engineer - Serban Ghenea, Mixing Engineer - Tim Roberts, Assistant Engineer - Mike Payne, Composer, Lyricist, Vocal - Q-Tip, FeaturedArtist, AssociatedPerformer - John Henry, Recording Engineer - Bobby Summers, Keyboards - Rhymefest feat. Q-Tip, AssociatedPerformer - Animal House Productions, Producer - Plugg City Entertainment, Producer - Ryan Penman, Vocal - Maxx P, Recording Engineer
(P) 2006 J Records,a unit of SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Justin Smith, Composer, Lyricist - Sylvia Robinson, Composer, Lyricist - Rhymefest, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Che Smith, Composer, Lyricist - Toby Henry, Composer, Lyricist - Jerry Harris, Composer, Lyricist - Gimel "Young Guru" Keaton, Mixing Engineer - Just Blaze, Producer - David Brown, Recording Engineer
(P) 2005 J Records, a unit of SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Mark Ronson, Recording Engineer - Rhymefest, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Che Smith, Composer, Lyricist - Gabriel Roth, Composer, Lyricist - John Hanes, Engineer - Kanye West, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, FeaturedArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Serban Ghenea, Mixing Engineer - Tim Roberts, Assistant Engineer - Derek Pacuk, Recording Engineer - Anthony Kilhoffer, Recording Engineer - Kevin Mahoney, Assistant Engineer - Rhymefest feat. Kanye West, AssociatedPerformer
(P) 2005 BMG Music, a unit of SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Rhymefest, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - John Hanes, Engineer - Serban Ghenea, Mixing Engineer - Tim Roberts, Assistant Engineer - John Frye, Recording Engineer - Eddie Cooley, Composer, Lyricist - John Davenport, Composer, Lyricist - No-ID, Producer
(P) 2005 J Records, a unit of SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Willie Hutchinson, Composer, Lyricist - Rhymefest, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Che Smith, Composer, Lyricist - Jeremy Ball, Composer, Lyricist - Emile Haynie, Composer, Lyricist - John Hanes, Engineer - Serban Ghenea, Mixing Engineer - Tim Roberts, Assistant Engineer - Emile, Producer - Derek Pacuk, Recording Engineer - Cochise, Producer
(P) 2006 J Records, a unit of SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Ernest Wilson, Composer, Lyricist - Rhymefest, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Che Smith, Composer, Lyricist - Pierre Barough, Composer, Lyricist - John Hanes, Engineer - Serban Ghenea, Mixing Engineer - Tim Roberts, Assistant Engineer - FRANCIS LAI, Composer, Lyricist - Derek Pacuk, Recording Engineer - No-ID, Producer
(P) 2006 J Records, a unit of SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Andre Lyon, Composer, Lyricist - Marcello Valenzano, Composer, Lyricist - Rhymefest, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Che Smith, Composer, Lyricist - John Hanes, Engineer - Kanye West, Composer, Lyricist, FeaturedArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Serban Ghenea, Mixing Engineer - Tim Roberts, Assistant Engineer - Cool & Dre, Producer, AssociatedPerformer - Keanna Henson Johnson, Background Vocal - Robert "Big Brizz" Brisbane, Recording Engineer - Rhymefest feat. Kanye West, AssociatedPerformer
(P) 2006 J Records, a unit of SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
C. Smith, Composer, Lyricist - M. Nance, Composer, Lyricist - Rhymefest, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - T. Boykin, Composer, Lyricist - E. Wilson, Composer, Lyricist - John Frye, Recording Engineer - Gimel "Young Guru" Keaton, Mixing Engineer - Mikkey, FeaturedArtist, AssociatedPerformer - No-ID, Producer - Bump J, FeaturedArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Rhymefest feat. Mikkey and Bump J, AssociatedPerformer - M. Snoddy, Composer, Lyricist, Producer
(P) 2006 J Records, a unit of SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Rhymefest, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Jon Frost, Composer, Lyricist - Che Smith, Composer, Lyricist - Paul Simon, Composer, Lyricist - John Henry, Recording Engineer - Animal House Productions, Producer - Plugg City Entertainment, Producer - Eric "Big Fuzz" Taylor, Mixing Engineer
(P) 2006 J Records, a unit of SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Ernie Isley, Composer, Lyricist - O'Kelly Isley, Composer, Lyricist - Marvin Isley, Composer, Lyricist - Christopher Jasper, Composer, Lyricist - Andre Lyon, Composer, Lyricist - Marcello Valenzano, Composer, Lyricist - Mark Ronson, Producer - Rhymefest, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Che Smith, Composer, Lyricist - John Hanes, Engineer - Serban Ghenea, Mixing Engineer - Tim Roberts, Assistant Engineer - Mario, FeaturedArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Ronald Isley, Composer, Lyricist - RUDOLPH ISLEY, Composer, Lyricist - Cool & Dre, Producer - Derek Pacuk, Recording Engineer - Robert "Big Brizz" Brisbane, Recording Engineer - Rhymefest feat. Mario, AssociatedPerformer
(P) 2005 J Records, a unit of SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Julian Casablancas, Composer, Lyricist - Mark Ronson, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Recording Engineer, AssociatedPerformer - Rhymefest, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Che Smith, Composer, Lyricist - John Hanes, Engineer - Serban Ghenea, Mixing Engineer - Tim Roberts, Assistant Engineer - Don-E, Vocal - Derek Pacuk, Recording Engineer
(P) 2006 J Records, a unit of SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Mark Ronson, Recording Engineer - Garry Glenn, Composer, Lyricist - Rhymefest, Co-Producer, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Che Smith, Composer, Lyricist - John Hanes, Engineer - Serban Ghenea, Mixing Engineer - Tim Roberts, Assistant Engineer - Mike Payne, FeaturedArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Derek Pacuk, Recording Engineer - No-ID, Producer - Rhymefest feat. Mike Payne, AssociatedPerformer
(P) 2006 J Records, a unit of SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Terry Hunter, Composer, Lyricist, Producer - Rhymefest, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Malik Yusef, Composer, Lyricist, FeaturedArtist, AssociatedPerformer - John Hanes, Engineer - Serban Ghenea, Mixing Engineer - Tim Roberts, Assistant Engineer - Shane, Background Vocal - Rhymefest feat. Malik Yusef, AssociatedPerformer - Franco DeLeon, Recording Engineer - James Edward III, Keyboards
(P) 2006 J Records, a unit of SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Mark Ronson, Co-Producer - Citizen Cope, FeaturedArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Clarence Greenwood, Composer, Lyricist - Rhymefest, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Che Smith, Composer, Lyricist - John Hanes, Engineer - Serban Ghenea, Mixing Engineer - Tim Roberts, Assistant Engineer - Emile, Producer - JON BRION, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, AssociatedPerformer - Rhymefest feat. Citizen Cope, AssociatedPerformer
(P) 2006 J Records, a unit of SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Mark Ronson, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Piano, Recording Engineer, Synthesizer - Vernon Bullock, Composer, Lyricist - Rhymefest, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Che Smith, Composer, Lyricist - John Hanes, Engineer - Serban Ghenea, Mixing Engineer - Tim Roberts, Assistant Engineer - HARRY NILSSON, Composer, Lyricist - Derek Pacuk, Recording Engineer - HARVEY FUQUA, Composer, Lyricist - The East Harlem School Choir, Vocal
(P) 2005 J Records, a unit of SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Mark Ronson, Composer, Lyricist, Producer, Guitar, Bass Guitar, Piano, Recording Engineer, Background Vocal - Rhymefest, MainArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Che Smith, Composer, Lyricist - John Hanes, Engineer - Serban Ghenea, Mixing Engineer - Tim Roberts, Assistant Engineer - Derek Pacuk, Recording Engineer - Tony Macaulay, Composer, Lyricist - Mike D'Abo, Composer, Lyricist - O.D.B., FeaturedArtist, AssociatedPerformer - Rhymefest feat. O.D.B., AssociatedPerformer
(P) 2005 J Records, a unit of SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Album review
Rhymefest won a Grammy before he released this, his first album for Mark Ronson's J-distributed Allido label. As one of the writers behind Kanye West's "Jesus Walks," the Chicago-raised MC gained some above-ground notoriety after several years spent paying dues as a battler (he beat Eminem at Scribble Jam '97) and featured guest (Ronson's "Bout to Get Ugly," West's "We Can Make It Better"). And, as he is eager to point out, he hasn't been paid all that much -- he has cycled through a fair share of low-paying jobs. Blue Collar, which involves production work from Ronson, West, Just Blaze, No I.D., and Cool & Dre, tends to remain true to its title and establishes Rhymefest's role as a down-to-earth, no-larger-than-life figure who happens to be exceptionally talented. With a slight lisp, his gruff voice projects several verses that are humbled and humorous without sacrificing any sense of swagger: "Blue-collar rap, why I call it that?/Sh*t, I know more real n*ggas that U-Haul than haul crack" ("Dynomite"); "I know I'm ahead of my time/But I'm behind on my rent" ("Devil's Pie"); "Workin' hard for scratch/Talk sh*t, get your jaw detached" ("All I Do"). His contradictions wouldn't be so significant if he didn't present himself in such a specific way. In "Brand New," he proclaims "Look at all my whips, they're all vintage" and boasts about his "loft with a view of the sea," possessions that don't sound blue-collar at all, unless he's putting a clever spin on referring to a few planks in a tree and a fleet of broken-down Gremlins. "Fever," another calculated shot at the charts, doesn't match his character either, dressed in the kind of production that would sound better behind an adolescent pop-rapper. If you subtract the shortcomings and pay extra attention to the tracks that discuss what things are like in Rhymefest's reality ("More," "Sister," "Bullet"), you'll hear roughly 45 very good minutes surrounded by 15 minutes of fluff. Regard the 45 minutes as the program and disregard the remainder as the commercials.
© Andy Kellman /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 16 track(s)
- Total length: 00:58:23
- Main artists: Rhymefest
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: J Records
- Genre: Hip-Hop/Rap
(P) 2006 J Records, a unit of SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
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