Album Details

• Artist: Pete Philly & Perquisite
• Album: Mind.state
• Label: Anti-
• Year of Release: 2006
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: hstisgod on 2007-06-20

It's all a state of mind, this thing called Hip Hop, or according to Petephilly and Perquisite, its a Mind.state.  Is it about the groove of the rhythm, or the flow of the lyricism? Is it the label that releases their album, or the city they're from that the world found 'em in?  It's not about any of that crap, not with this LP.  Not at all...

   Off the top let's get straight to the nitty gritty, Paranoid, a small but infectious beat drives along as Petephilly sifts through with a raspy but smooth vocalist touch. "Break glass, quick fast/This lack of cash got me making these rash decisions/Looking passed my mission/Paranoid thought blurring my vision/As I'm sitting in front of the television/I won't fail to bite a nail/As I'm waiting to exhale".  Eventually this track breaks with an old school vibe, standing firm during a wide breakbeat opening as the story picks back up.  Just before the outro, the attitude of the Pete takes on a Eminem tone. 

   Forget the vinyl scratch and sniff, there's much more to this Rock/Hip Hop/Soul formation then the traditionalism of underground Hip Hop.  Violin's, piano and stand up bass work take the subtle and comfortable approach.  Grateful is great vibe with straight up biased lyricism about past lovers, and the fitting addition of saxophone here and there make this a terrific pick for those chill Friday nights.

     Don't make the mistake of thinking it's all chill time. Cocksure, Motivated, and Conflicted which familiarizes with ATCQ, all of these fit more in a piano bar wet dream of mine, then any stereotypical assumption of hip hop.

   In the end, it was Eager that really socked me in the face, as they sounded like they were showing up previous Wu-Tang Clan efforts, with a bit of their of sound.  Add in the show stopper Talib Kweli on Grateful, and this release is much more than a state of mind or mind.state, its fresh Hip Hop.

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