The Bar

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1. Babylon
2. Doomsday Was Written in an Alien Bible
3. Trust Nobody
4. Bullet Never Lies
5. White Nigger
6. My Uncle
7. Riva
8. War Is My Destiny
9. Society Is Brainwashed
10. This Is Who I Am
11. Too Young
12. Pain Gang
13. U.B.S. (Unauthorized Biography of Slayer)
14. Coka Moshiach
15. Most Dangerous Weapon Alive
16. Soap
17. Only Time Will Tel
18. : Enter Track Title Here

Official Bar Score:

What up gangsters? Come mi bicho, bitches. DJ_Brilliant here again to tell you what he thinks you should be listening to.

Who?

Ill Bill of Non Phixion fame.

What?

Second studio album The Hour of Reprisal . Released on his own Uncle Howie Records featuring a myriad of guests from both the hip hop and rock genres.

Why?

I picked this up because I’m a fan of Ill Bill’s productions usually. I liked his work on Army of the Pharoh’s - Ritual of Battle. I’ll be honest, I know very little about Mr Ill other than he makes dope beats and is from Brooklyn!!! I learned in my quick research trip to Wiki that Necro is his brother, but I wont hold that against him.

Tell me more…

Along with his solo work and production work for others, he is currently running with La Coka Nostra featuring Everlast, Slaine, Big Left, Danny Boy and DJ Lethal. He also has upcoming collaborations with Raekwon, Jeru The Damaja, Sean Price and Crooked I.

Also, as I said above, I copped this for the beats solely. So imagine my delight to find that DJ Lethal, DJ Muggs and DJ Premier also blessed the boards for this album.

The Album:

1. Babylon ft Howard Jones (of Killswitch Engage) prod T-Ray

“Imagine you were giving one hour, exactly 60 minutes and Zero seconds to put your entire life and the world around you in total perspective. What would you say? What would it sound like?”

After the above quote, it kicks off with some church sounding chants that lead into a choir singing of Babylon. The beat slowly creeps in and sweeps you up. T Ray made a beat that bumps, rocks and pretty much sweeps you away in to it. The hook sings about the road to Babylon, and I honestly have no idea who Jones is, so to find out he is a Metal singer was surprising. I think Bill rhymes about the perils of this world and shit like that, I dunno cuz I can’t pay attention to anything but the music. Ends with some media clips.

2. Doomsday Was Written In An Alien Bible prod Ill Bill

Fantastic song name. Tired of these simple simon names songs’ve been gettin lately. Mr Ill on the beat, and to be honest…its not that great. Its a typical Ill Bill beat, which is cool and all but not for the 2nd song on your own solo album, ya know? Put this at the end, and I think it come off better. Some world is ending political shit. Not my thing or that well executed. Sell this beat to someone else, and its a banger.

3. Trust Nobody prod Ill Bill

He trusts no one. He lists everyone and why. “Trust nobody homie, don’t even trust me.” His flow is much better, but his rhymes are weak at best. I’m feeling this beat even less. Boo on this.

4. A Bullet Never Lies ft Vinnie Paz (of Jedi Mind Tricks) prod DJ Lethal

Allright, here we go Im bobbing my head again. Lethal on the track, and Bill brings it with the rhymes this time. V.P. of Jedi Mind Tricks’ brings it too. Only 2 verses but I guess its better to give em quality over quantity. A bullet never lies it always tells the truth.

5. White Nigger prod Ill Bill

Here’s an Ill Bill beat that bangs. I guess its a song about racism and apparently people used to call him white nigger so he flipped it into the hook. Beat bangs but this isnt really my thing. I suppose it did help me learn about Mr Braunstein.

6. My Uncle prod Ill Bill & Sicknature

This beat bangs. The lyrics suck. And they drown out the beat cuz he’s practically screaming. Terrible, but I’d would cop the instrumental in a second though.

7. Riva ft HR & Darryl Jennifer (of Bad Brains) prod Ill Bill

Augh, this song sucks too. Beat is dope, but the hook is dreadfull. I think its about his daughter, his verses aren’t terrible. Worst chorus I’ve heard in forever, pretty much ruins the song. Another one I wish I had the instrumental instead.

8. War is My Destiny ft Max Cavalera (of Soulfly) & Immortal Technique prod Ill Bill

Back on track, cuz this one is fire. He sampled like “the battle theme” an orchestra would play during war scenes of operas. Best explanation I got, shit bangs is the bottom line. Even the hook is cool, it sounds like a heavy metal song was sampled. I like it. Bill brings his rhymes cuz you know I.T. did. I’m not sure what they’re talking about, but they spit fire to match the track.

9. Society is Brainwashed prod DJ Premier

Do I really need to tell you a Premier beat = gonna be dope? Well I will, this beat is dope. Foot tapping kick snare and some loco samples clipped throughout. Title pretty much explains what its about. Rhymes are pretty tight I will say. Dope shit.

10. This is Who I Am prod DJ Muggs

Beautiful production from the one and only Muggs. Simple piano and thumping bass. About who he is. Good stuff.

11. Too Young ft Hero & Slaine prod Darp Malone

Fly production by Darp, funky yet complex. Everyone fucking kills their respective verses. I actually like the hook and how its done by whoever sings it, perhaps Mr Malone? About mistakes made in their youth. I like it, a lot, it gets run on the MP3 player. “I was too young to fall in love like Motley Crue”

12. Pain Gang ft B Real & Everlast prod Cynic

Cynic kills it with the beat. Shit hook. Almost ruins the song but its quick. B Real starts it off on a good note, doing his thing. Everlast? Sounds like shit, but at least it rhymed. Bill brings it, but doesn’t knock it out the park or anything. Not bad, could be better without Whitey Ford and samples replacing the hook.

13. UBS (Unauthorized Biography of Slayer) prod Necro

I don’t know what the fuck this is. Whatever it is, Necro made a hypnotic beat. I think its the biography of the band Slayer. Kinda weird if you ask me.

14. Coka Moschiach ft Raekwon the Chef prod Ill Bill

Nice. Thumping mafia beat. Both kill it with their verses. Don’t know what they really say, but they say it well. Why wasn’t this song 2 or 3?

15. The Most Dangerous Weapon Alive prod Necro

Sucks. I like the guitar loop, but the rest is lazy. Talking bout the mind being the most dangerous weapon alive.

16. Soap (Skit/Interlude)

Someone talking about going to jail for dealing.

17. I’m A Goon prod Ill Bill & Sicknature

Another foot tapping beat. No hook, rather samples with the word goon in it. Thank goodness. Bill talking about him being a goon and what that means. Not bad.

18. Only Time Will Tell ft Tech N9ine & Everlast prod DJ Muggs

Crazy carnival sounding beat from Muggs, takes a little bit but eventually gets the head bobbing. Everlast on the hook, a lot better than his earlier contribution. Slick verses, not really sure what its about. Too busy listening to the music, but they spit it well.

So whoever put the album together didn’t do a very good job. Starts off hot with the first song, then a couple duds drag it down. Not a good look, gotta come out swinging and make em wanna stay. Put the weaker songs later so people can just skip em. Take the 2 bangers at the end and put em up front, you probably have a better album at the very least a better listening experience. I got it for the beats and it pretty much delivered on that front, so I cant say it let me down. Lots of weak shit though, not something Im going to bump much. I copied some songs off it and they’ll get some burn on the MP3 player till I need room for something else. DJ_Brilliant hot shits are bolded.

Ill pick up the instrumental version for sure if I ever spy it.

2 outta 5 Blunts.

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