Search - Miilkbone :: Da Miilkrate

Underappreciated..... {4.5 Stars}

Norfeest | Washington DC USA | 07/02/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I think Amazon misspelled the title to this album. It's actually "Da' Miilkrate", but anyway....



Though I wouldn't go as far as to say that Miilkbone is the first caucasian sensation, he was definitely dope. I think that distinction should go to MC Serch (the Beasties get love too, but lyrically they came off basic in the beginning). That's just me though.



If you want to get an idea of where Miilkbone's head is at, just check out the opening skit "No Gimmicks". Dude was on a mission and you could tell he was hungry. There are bangers like "How Ya Like It", "Check Me Out", and "Mindgamez" all throughout the album. Classics like "Keep It Real", "Where'z Da' Party At?", and the awesome "Kids On The Ave" make Da Miilkrate a must have LP. Lyrically, Miilkbone did a pretty good job of riding dope beat after dope beat -- there was no questioning whether or not the guy could rhyme. Most of the production is handled by Mufi and his partner Butch Whip with contributions from Kay Gee (Naughty By Nature), Nick Wiz, and Steve White. The sound is vintage mid 90's grimey boom bap with party jams sprinkled in here and there. As an added bonus, there's even a remix for "Keep It Real" hidden at the end of the album (this was back when a remix was really a remix and not the same beat with added guest vocals).



There isn't a whole lot wrong with this album. There are probably one or two tracks that don't hold up well after 11 years. "Murder Verbs" is cool, but it can fall under skip material if you're not in the mood for it. There are no wack tracks, just a few passable ones. There are also a few skits this album could've done without too.



The Miilkrate is one of those great albums from the 90's that somehow fell through the cracks and has largely been forgotten. Whether you want some dope hip hop to turn to after being fed up with the mainstream blitz or you just want to stroll down memory lane, this album will certainly do the trick for either objective. It's a shame that this LP didn't blow up like it should've, they simply don't make albums like this anymore. I highly recommend this one.



Standout Tracks: Mindgamez, How Ya Like It?, Check Me Out, Keep It Real (My Favorite), 2 All Y'all, Ketchrek, Where's Da Party At?, Keep It Real (Remix), It Ain't The Same, and Move Wit' Da Groove"

Great CD

M. Kwiatkowski | 03/15/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"What a great mid 90s era rap album. This guy came out with force back then reppin jersey. Def a must buy for underground hip hop fans. Just not another white rapper out there. Wish the 2nd CD came out as good as this. Would love to hear new stuff from him"

A forgotten classic that should have been recognized

BX Lounger | The Bronx, NY | 09/18/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The Beastie Boys, Vanilla Ice and MC Serch paved the way for white boys to be rappers in the hip hop game. And yet the only reason why Miilkbone is somewhat known is because of his short lived beef with Eminem back in 1999. Miilkbone never got his proper shine or respect; thereby explaining why his debut album "Da Miilkrate" was massively slept on. 1995 was the year that all of the well known rappers dropped near classic or classic albums and underground hip hop was just as hot. Considering that most people at the time associated New York with that great East Coast sound, it was rare for rappers coming from New Jersey hanging with the best rappers from New York.



And now that this album has been out of print for some time, it's even harder to find it but it is worth a try to track it down. Miilkbone dropped nice rhymes and production was hot and handled by Die Hard Productions, Nick Wiz (who would later work on Chino XL's debut album "Here To Save You All"), Kay Gee (who produced tracks for Naughty By Nature)and Redbone Productions. He did release a second album later on in 2001 while signed with Death Row Records but hasn't been heard from ever since. It's too bad because he had skills and is one of many unknown rappers that got slept on during that time.



Bottom line: if you see it anywhere, buy it and cherish it; hip hop has never been the same since."