Search - Jedi Mind Tricks :: Legacy of Blood

JMT...hating you since 1997

Big Krawl | Jersey | 03/03/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Jedi Mind Tricks bill themselves as hardcore underground hip-hop and have had a devoted following since the release of Violent by Design. The beats on this disc are killer and Stoupe incorporates some sick samples. Based on their previous releases, you can expect a good deal of gun talk. However, what I did not anticipate was Vinne's very graphic depiction of how he would beat and kill homosexuals. It was present in the past, but has reached new levels. If you subscribe to the doctrine of Islam (as Vinnie claims to), you know that there are more positive ways to uplift people. This album is outstanding for what it is...a legacy of blood. But be cautious if you are buying this dics because it is underground and the beats are tight. Album summary...I hate you, I hate everything about you and I will kill you all."

JMT find middle ground between previous two releases........

Guide_2_Strategy | Jupiter | 10/20/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Philly crew JMT are back after the controversial stylistic departure that was 'Visions Of Gandhi', which in all honesty wasn't quite the travesty that fans made it out to be. Despite the early press reports, 'legacy of blood' doesn't simply revert to the dirty and grimy style of 'Violent Be Design' as it attempts to bridge the significant gap between said album and VOG, merging the darker atmospheric tracks of the former with the ethnic inflected and orchestral 'tearing down the walls' type sonic beat downs of the latter.





'The age of the sacred terror' kicks off the proceedings in a remarkable fashion, taking the JMT sound back to its origins and belting out one of their finest tunes ever. This album has less guest MC's on it than VOG, which is a positive or negative depending on where you stand, but they have roped in higher profile cats this time in Killah Priest and Gza, both of whose contributions enhance the quality and credibility of this release in general. It's quite satisfying that JMT have now received the stamp of approval from the Wu, especially since for years they were branded as mere clones. Of course sceptics may argue that given the shoddy nature of recent wu product their endorsement hardly counts for anything nowadays. Regardless, Killah Priest tears it up on 'Saviourself', with Paz making references to all things mythical and religious, perfectly complimenting K.P's wise flows. Gza jumps aboard for 'on the eve of war', a track that showcases Stoupe's knack for using classical music to inflict bodily harm, although perhaps not to the same jaw dropping effect as 'Animal Rap'. 'Verses Of The Bleeding' is perhaps the most brooding of the lot, reaching almost cinematic heights with Des Devious stealing the show from Paz with one of the albums strongest verses. Sean Price also comes nice on 'Beyond The Gates Of Pain' while the beat is perhaps the most understated beat on display, working its considerable magic in a more subtle manner than usual. 'Before The End Of The Collapse' is the surprise cut of the album, with Paz revealing a more intimate side to his nature than we have seen before, an interesting flipside to the hard as nails persona that us fans have become accustomed to.





The rest of the tracks are of a uniformly similar quality, with quality beats and rhymes abound. Stoupe is proving himself to be the hottest producer in the underground and while 'LOB' isn't quite his best work, it effectively demonstrates his ability to weave many complex elements into a satisfying whole that's never just the sum of its parts with his mix of disparate influences signifying more than you'd expect at first, almost telling an entirely different story on their own. If there was ever a flaw with JMT since 'Violent By Design', it's that the beats suggest reflection, the idea of something brewing underneath and yet the verses seldom rise to the occasion. It's not that Paz is a bad rapper, his technique has improved tenfold over the years but he has less to say now than ever. The main complaint fans have is his over-reliance on thug cliches. Vinnie has always been full of rage, arguably one of the biggest candidates for textbook psycho-analysis in the whole rap genre next to Eminem, but nowadays it's misdirected. While it succeeds on a visceral level where most fail, it just lacks the creative fire of the almost metaphysical rhymes of VBD where Paz had torture down to a kind of abstract science. I'm sure most fans would agree that their feelings towards him are contradictory as his presence is undeniably both a strength and weakness, contributing and detracting from the material in almost equal measure. In spite of all this, `LOB' is definitely recommended to JMT fans and others alike. While it may lack the immediacy and surprise factor of their previous two it's definitely one of the more consistent underground rap albums of the year. however, it remains to be seen how much longer JMT can keep playing this card before they exhaust their options."

The real illadelph sound comes back: behold & adore

Jakeymon | San Francisco, CA United States | 11/18/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"So JMT makes two really great albums (the Psycho-Social and Violent By Design) and underground heads everywhere get really excited. Then, they make a mediocre album (Visions of Gandhi) and those same heads start to think "oh no, now they're gonna start to really stink" because that's what happens in the music world, right?



Apparently not because Legacy of Blood is definitely not a mediocre album. It's a freakin awesome album. Stoupe and Vinnie Paz are making a strong statement here, keeping that hardcore, truly dangerous feel, but not slipping into that kinda cartoonish stuff that they did last time around.



Vinnie P. continues to be the most beautifully unhinged MC around. His flow has continued to develop and I'm missing Jus'Allah less on this than I was on Visions. (Not to say I wouldn't be pleased to hear him again - just sayin.) The lyrics are the usual blend of violence, menace, hate, and islamic allusion - going places where others don't, won't, and can't. It's good stuff and it will make you think a little when you really listen to the man.



Stoupe... what can you say about Stoupe other than that he's the best out there, period? The best beats and the strongest samples every time. You listen to the differences between this album and (say) Violent By Design and you hear a progression - not just the same dirt over and over again from the over-rated 'genius' producers in the mainstream.



So yeah; get on this, get on it today, you won't be sorry. Find out what explicit lyrics are all about - hardcore rhymes that you'll NEVER, EVER hear on the radio. (And that's all right by me, man...)"