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After recording his final album, 1992's divisive and controversial Sex and Violence, under the Boogie Down Productions name, KRS-One claimed top billing for what's technically a solo debut and a comeback all at once. Return of the Boom Bap feels definitive either way: as a strong front-to-back listen that keeps its politics humane and its bravado superhuman, it's a fantastic entry point and an exhibit of KRS at his best whether he's decrying systemic injustice or just scoffing at substandard rappers. That latter topic is where some of his sharpest and meanest tendencies emerge—his punchlines are less clever or funny than they are just cold, whether he's envisioning himself as a blunt getting cashed out by competitors trying to draw off his essence ("I Can't Wake Up," featuring one of DJ Premier's all-time weirdest beats) or counting his blessings as he relays stories of his once-successful peers and detractors falling off ("Outta Here," featuring one of DJ Premier's all-time sickest basslines). And his political material benefits from a zero-fat, upfront sense of almost confrontational perception. There's no overly complex metaphors clouding the diatribes against police brutality ("Sound of Da Police"; "Black Cop"), misogynoir ("Brown Skin Woman"), and a whole litany of existential questions about the role of religion in American institutional injustice (closer "Higher Level"). If that sounds preachy, KRS at least raps like he's preaching to a really big choir, and so his voice measures up and hits you all kinds of ways, from patois-adapting anthemic dancehall melodicism to clear-eyed and level-headed calm to heavyweight prizefighter rap battle ridicule. As great a run as BDP had in the late '80s and early '90s, Return of the Boom Bap is a key reason KRS-One's stretch of mid-late '90s albums actually rivals it. © Nate Patrin/Qobuz
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DJ Premier, Mixing Engineer - DJ Premier, Producer - KRS-One, Performer - L. Parker, Composer - L. Parker, Lyricist
(P) 1993 Zomba Recording LLC
DJ Premier, Mixing Engineer - DJ Premier, Producer - Eddie Sancho, Engineer - KRS-One, Performer - Lawrence Parker, Composer - Lawrence Parker, Lyricist - Luc Allen, 2nd Engineer
(P) 1993 Zomba Recording LLC
Adam Kudzin, Mixing Engineer - KRS-One, Mixing Engineer - KRS-One, Performer - KRS-One, Producer - L. Parker, Composer - L. Parker, Lyricist
(P) 1993 Zomba Recording LLC
DJ Premier, Mixing Engineer - DJ Premier, Producer - KRS-One, Performer - L. Parker, Composer - L. Parker, Lyricist
(P) 1993 Zomba Recording LLC
DJ Premier, Mixing Engineer - DJ Premier, Producer - KRS-One, Mixing Engineer - KRS-One, Performer - KRS-One, Producer - Lawrence Parker, Composer - Lawrence Parker, Lyricist
(P) 1993 Zomba Recording LLC
Douglas Jones, Co-Producer - KRS-One, Mixing Engineer - KRS-One, Performer - L. Parker, Composer - L. Parker, Lyricist - Norty Cotto, Producer - W. Broady, Composer - W. Broady, Lyricist
(P) 1993 Zomba Recording LLC
KRS-One, Mixing Engineer - KRS-One, Performer - L. Parker, Composer - L. Parker, Lyricist - Showbiz, Producer
(P) 1993 Zomba Recording LLC
KRS-One, Mixing Engineer - KRS-One, Performer - KRS-One, Producer - L. Parker, Composer - L. Parker, Lyricist
(P) 1993 Zomba Recording LLC
KRS-One, Mixing Engineer - KRS-One, Performer - KRS-One, Producer - L. Parker, Composer - L. Parker, Lyricist
(P) 1993 Zomba Recording LLC
Adam Kudzin, Engineer - D. Love, Composer - D. Love, Lyricist - Eddie Sancho, Engineer - KRS-One, Performer - Kid Capri, Mixing Engineer - Kid Capri, Producer - L. Parker, Composer - L. Parker, Lyricist - Norty Cotto, Engineer
(P) 1993 Zomba Recording LLC
KRS-One, Mixing Engineer - KRS-One, Performer - KRS-One, Producer - L. Parker, Composer - L. Parker, Lyricist
(P) 1993 Zomba Recording LLC
DJ Premier, Mixing Engineer - DJ Premier, Producer - KRS-One, Performer - L. Parker, Composer - L. Parker, Lyricist
(P) 1993 Zomba Recording LLC
Adam Kudzin, Engineer - D. Love, Composer - D. Love, Lyricist - Eddie Sancho, Engineer - KRS-One, Performer - Kid Capri, Mixing Engineer - Kid Capri, Producer - L. Parker, Composer - L. Parker, Lyricist - Norty Cotto, Engineer
(P) 1993 Zomba Recording LLC
DJ Premier, Mixing Engineer - DJ Premier, Producer - KRS-One, Performer - L. Parker, Composer - L. Parker, Lyricist
(P) 1993 Zomba Recording LLC
Album review
After recording his final album, 1992's divisive and controversial Sex and Violence, under the Boogie Down Productions name, KRS-One claimed top billing for what's technically a solo debut and a comeback all at once. Return of the Boom Bap feels definitive either way: as a strong front-to-back listen that keeps its politics humane and its bravado superhuman, it's a fantastic entry point and an exhibit of KRS at his best whether he's decrying systemic injustice or just scoffing at substandard rappers. That latter topic is where some of his sharpest and meanest tendencies emerge—his punchlines are less clever or funny than they are just cold, whether he's envisioning himself as a blunt getting cashed out by competitors trying to draw off his essence ("I Can't Wake Up," featuring one of DJ Premier's all-time weirdest beats) or counting his blessings as he relays stories of his once-successful peers and detractors falling off ("Outta Here," featuring one of DJ Premier's all-time sickest basslines). And his political material benefits from a zero-fat, upfront sense of almost confrontational perception. There's no overly complex metaphors clouding the diatribes against police brutality ("Sound of Da Police"; "Black Cop"), misogynoir ("Brown Skin Woman"), and a whole litany of existential questions about the role of religion in American institutional injustice (closer "Higher Level"). If that sounds preachy, KRS at least raps like he's preaching to a really big choir, and so his voice measures up and hits you all kinds of ways, from patois-adapting anthemic dancehall melodicism to clear-eyed and level-headed calm to heavyweight prizefighter rap battle ridicule. As great a run as BDP had in the late '80s and early '90s, Return of the Boom Bap is a key reason KRS-One's stretch of mid-late '90s albums actually rivals it. © Nate Patrin/Qobuz
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 14 track(s)
- Total length: 00:55:59
- Main artists: KRS-One
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Jive
- Genre: Soul/Funk/R&B
(P) 1993 Zomba Recording LLC
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