The Best of Maestro AND Maestro Fresh Wes!
Ren Höek | Canada | 06/18/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"If you picked up this CD case and looked at the back you'd see:
01. *CRIMINAL MIND featuring Infinite and Gowan
02. *STILL BANGIN' featuring Rich London
03. LET YOUR BACKBONE SLIDE
04. DROP THE NEEDLE
05. CONDUCTIN' THANGS
06. V.I.P.'S ONLY featuring K-4ce
07. FINE TUNE DA MIC featuring Showbiz
08. CERTS WITHOUT THE RETSYN
09. STICK TO YOUR VISION
10. POPPA STRO featuring Saukrates and Saidah & tuku
11. I'M SHOWIN' YOU
12. *SUPREME AUTHENTICITY
13. *HEAT SEEKERZ
14. *HIT 'EM WID ANOTHA ONE featuring Saukrates
15. *GOD BLESS DA CHILD
16. (Bonus track)PERSEVERANCE Inspired by the movie "Hurricane"
(featuring Wade O. Brown)
This CD is basically a collection of Maestro's best works plus his best new stuff (indicated by a *)
Any fan of Maestro will surly be pleased with this CD. Whether you grew up with his old school work (when he went by Maestro Fresh Wes) or you like his more recent rap style, like I do (now he just goes by Maestro), this CD offers the best of both. It has the best selling Canadian hip-hop single of all time 'Let Your Backbone Slide' (although its not my favourite), and other brilliant old-school tunes like 'Drop the Needle' and 'Stick to Your Vision'. You notice the changing of his style such as in 'Poppa Stro' and 'Perseverance' that is no doubt the result of rap evolution. Westcoast and Eastcoast 'gangsta' style rap is reminiscent in his new stuff like 'Heat Seekerz' and 'Criminal Mind'; these are the songs with the hot beats that you crank up your bass to! But Maestro isn't a gangsta, his lyrics are intelligent and thought provoking; such as his cry for peace overseas in 'God Bless Da Child'.
I only recently discovered Maestro when I heard his single 'God Bless Da Child' on the radio a couple years back. Since then I learned of his great influence on Canada's rap industry and knew I had to buy at LEAST one of his CDs. This is the perfect CD because it was just recently released and can still be found in stores (unlike his older releases), I'd advise those interested to buy it ASAP before it's gone. It was a great price and I was not disappointed.
Maestro is probably Canada's greatest rapper to date. He basically represents Canadian rap, the only other Canadian rapper I've heard on radio is Kardinal Offishall. However, Maestro has been in the rap industry since the 80s and he's still got it! Maestro is strong and able to adapt to the competitive rap industry. Like I said earlier, this CD is a collection of his best classics and his great new works. Hopefully this isn't his last CD and he'll still rock Canada for years to come!
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Track Listings (16) - Disc #1