Search - Da Youngsta's :: Aftermath

Five starts to the best hip hop

Rodolfo Diaz Leal | 03/01/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"THIS KIND OF HIP HOP TAKES ME BACK TO THE 90'S ILOVE THIS CD I DON'T KNOW WY THESE RAPPERS ARE NOT DOING MUSIC ANYMORE, BUT ANYWAY THERE WAS HIP HOP BACK THEN NOT LIKE THE NEW HIP HOP GARBEGE MMMMMM!!! SOULJA BOY, MIMS LEAN LIKE A CHOLO FOR EXAMPLE"

"It's the crew with the ILLY PHILLY FUNK!" (4.5/5)

ctrx | 'bout to show you how the EAST COAST rocks... | 05/03/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Following their first album, Somethin 4 Da Youngsta's, a well produced but very "cute" album of harmless kiddie rap, the teenage Philadelphia trio of Tajj, Tariq, and Quran returned in 1993 with "The Aftermath," a very slept-on album of great east coast production and surprising hardcore rhymes beyond their years. This album's strongest point is certainly the production, which meets the high bar set by the east coast in this era. The list of producers is perhaps the most impressive I've ever seen assembled on one album. All of the early-90s east coast heavyweights are here, including the Beatnuts, Pete Rock, DJ Premier, Marley Marl, and LG Goodman. The beats are very consistent and always excellent, aimed for the underground but maintaining a smooth polish despite their grimy funk. There is blippy horn sampling and upbeat basslines with hard drums on each track, and the product is a great piece of hip hop production throughout. Lyrically, Da Youngsta's are out to prove that they're not the same kids from a year before. Gone are the "mom knows best" raps, and in are the "I'm out to get ya, like the grim reapa" raps. Their deliveries are angry and determined, and the lyricism is totally stepped up. They establish themselves as the urban "stick up kids" of hip hop, content dwelling in the underground. The consistency is amazing. This album has been forgotten over the years, unfairly like the group itself, but it's a piece of classic 1993 rap that I highly recommend to fans of the 90s east coast boom bap.



After a dope sounding intro, the album kicks in with "Wild Child," which immediately lets you know that this is a totally different album than their debut. This song is awesome, the beat has a heavy bassline and horn kicks, the boys lay down some angrily-delivered raps between a similarly kicked hook. The less menacing "Iz U Wit Me" follows, containing some very nice battle-style raps with a more upbeat backing track. "Handle This" is slick and memorable, while similar to the previous songs, and the album enters its prime with the following songs, the best. "Crews Pop" has some of the best rhymes and the beat is excellent, a perfect sounding '93 east coast rap joint. The deliveries are right on point, and the hook is great. "Lyrical Stick Up Kids" has a grimy underground feel. I think my favorite is the Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth collaboration "Who's the Mic Wrecka." Pete Rock's beat is excellent, a slow rolling head-nodder with horns and a good bassline. CL and Pete both trade off clever rhymes with Tariq, Tajj and Quran. After the short and sweet "Count It Off" comes the funky "Honey Comb Hideout," which follows a trend by using a reggae toaster in the hook. "Da Hood" is excellent, perhaps the finest track lyrically, where the trio profiles a day in the projects of Philly over a typically dope beat. "Itz Natural" and "Rip a Rhyme" continue in the consistency of the album, and "Wake `Em Up" closes out the album well with the outro, "Shout It Out."



Da Youngsta's have four albums that are today increasingly hard to find, and the latter three are phenomenal. This album is for the fans of the musical yet hardcore '93 circa underground sound, and the Pete Rock, Beatnuts, and DJ Premier beats should be enough to draw anyone in. Highly recommended."

Klassic

ctrx | 02/08/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"klassic hip hop - greatest of all time! da youngsta's with their second event 'the aftermath' show the rap power! young but really!! check it, my man!"