a-l-b's Full Review: Breaking Atoms * by Main Source
I don't even know what to say about this album. This could be a contender for my favorite hip hop album of all time. There's something about this album that just takes me back to the days when everything seemed so simple. Some of you are probably thinking, "ALB, what are you talking about? You haven't written a review in GOD knows how long, so now you come here and finally write something...and start babbling?" But no, I'm not babbling. Let me explain...
See, for those younger kids on this site, you might not remember the early '90s like I do. I was born at the very end of 1988, so I really grew up and shaped ideals based on the world around me, which took place mostly during the '90s. During the '90s, there was a certain urban culture that rose to prominence. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air ruled the airwaves, and Will's hi-top fade and brightly colored clothes were truly representative of a demographic that became huge in hip hop.
Fast-forward to a few years ago. I was reading up on this album, and hearing a LOT of good things about it, so I figured I should check it out. Since this album is literally impossible to find (it's long been out of print), I initially downloaded it. From the very first listen, I was hooked. Something about this album just brought me back to the old days. I might not be from the city, but I remember passing by b-ball courts in Boston, or watching music videos on TV that made me entranced by the bright colors and godlike music that was spawned from this '90s urban culture.
As many know, this group was formed by the well-known New York producer known as the Large Professor. What I was most shocked about is the fact that in addition to being an incredible producer, Large Professor is more than proficient as a rapper. His flow is nearly unstoppable, and his lyrics are witty and paint pictures of what's going on in the stories he speaks of. Most of the tracks on this truly incredible album are comprised of stories. Also, the two DJs, Sir Scratch and K-Cut of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, do their job with some memorable scratching. And now, without further ado, we begin the analysis, track by track, of one of the greatest albums of all time.
The album kicks off with the perfect track to introduce the album. This is a little song called "Snake Eyes", and after a few short vocal samples of people saying this phrase, the booming beat comes in to introduce The God Large Professor:
Rolling dice can help you or hurt you; your virtue Is knowing when you quit cause you've hit your cash curfew Even if you have to get swift and swindle It's as long as you win, so of course it's just simple I see people rolling dice with lives Telling lies and cutting close like knives For a sandwich and shelter, who'll probably sell the Clothes on they man's back for fame and wealth or Go with the next man's girl and hit the skins Get in his face and say "Yo, we're best friends" Scared of a tattle, because his tail shake like a rattle And then he'll kiss behind like a saddle That'll be the reason why you'll bleed and grieve Ready to diss your own brother at breakneck speed You roll the dice real fast and think you're nice But gotta be more precise Cause I keep looking, and you'll keep scheming I'll start hooking, and you'll be screaming Starting the lies and an alibi Cause you keep rolling snake eyes
In case you hadn't guessed, this song is about dice games that often take place in an urban setting, such as an alley. For those living under a rock, the term "snake eyes" means rolling a "one" for each die, meaning a combined score of two, which is the lowest score possible. The song, however, is more about the dangers involved with the other players in a dice game if one employs trickery in order to win.
Next on the menu is my fellow Eps user and Vogue Crew member PDT's favorite Main Source track, a laid-back jam called "Just Hangin Out". Sampling the dancehall classic "Bam Bam" by Sister Nancy, this track is rightfully worshipped by many the adoring fan. For some odd reason, an obese Biggie lookalike and soundalike named Guerilla Black [sic] thought he could replicate the godlike sound from "Just Hangin Out" on his 2004 single "Compton". Featuring Beenie Man, the song was admittedly not THAT bad, but the fact that it used the same sample was a travesty to both dancehall and hip hop. Plus, Guerilla Black is literally an inferior clone of Biggie, so nothing more needs to be said. Listen to the Main Source track, it's much better.
Up next on the album is a single that enjoyed some popularity back in the day, the ever-godlike "Looking At The Front Door". This is just one of my favorite songs on an album that I wish to be buried with someday. This song describes a crumbling relationship between the narrator (played by Large Professor, but not necessarily about him) and his girlfriend, who seems to want nothing to do with him anymore. Large Pro discusses such matters as his girl thinking of him as less than her friends because he might not come from the best neighborhood or have the best grammar. The title of the song, "Looking At The Front Door", describes LP's desire to "walk out" on the relationship that has been causing him nothing but pain and turmoil. This is a subject that many of us can relate to, no matter what gender, age, or ethnic background we might belong to. That's why this track is considered a hip hop classic.
Next up, we have what is essentially brag-rap, the aptly titled "Large Professor". To the average listener, this track seems like just another track where the emcee brags about his skills. Well, in this case, the average listener is absolutely right. However, this song is so ill that it doesn't even matter what the subject matter is. The lyrics, the flow, and the production are all top-notch. In fact, this song contains one of my favorite beats on the album, which is saying a lot. The reason the beats on this album are so ill is because Large Professor attempted to create an actual album rather than just a collection of songs. As such, he chose many samples with similar sounds, so the album wouldn't seem like some whack mish-mash of tracks. As for the lyrics on the track at hand, check out the second verse:
While you was doing the butt, I was putting game down You frowned before, now you wear the same frown Just as long as the buck, I sit when I think I couldn't care less who was jelling the Profess-or Sir Scratch and K-Cut, the Main Source Back to break more atoms of course With the beat and the melodious vox, I suprise folks I'm as sharp as a toothpick, come and watch the youth kick The game so tough cause the shine I'll scuff Busting the fluff cause I'm just that tough The mic's my instrument, my skills are infinite, catch a hint from it Cause it's the Large Professor
Also watch for the way the beat changes during the scratched chorus. This alone makes "Large Professor" one of my favorite tracks on the album. MAAAAAD '90s shit right here.
Next up is the metaphorical track "Just A Friendly Game Of Baseball". This song is great, as it uses baseball, our "Great American Pastime", as a metaphor for police brutality against blacks (which is still a problem that needs to be addressed). Here are some of the choice examples of clever wordplay from this song:
R.B.I. -- real bad injury But don't get happy you're in jail for a century
...and...
And watch him run for the stretch But you don't know the man is at home waitin to make the catch So the outfielder guns you down You're out, off to the dugout, underground I know a cop that's savage, his pockets stay green like cabbage Cause he has a good batting average
...and...
Once a brother tried to take a leave But they shot him in his face sayin he was tryin to steal a base
Fuckin godlike.
The next track on here is an instrumental. My boy Big D doesn't rate instrumentals, but I'm sure even he would give this 5 stars. I am talking of course about the godlike DJ cut, "Scratch & Kut". No, this song is not about what Jbrd once did to his granny. This track is all about the tables, as Sir Scratch and K-Cut take turns...well...scratching and cutting a record which contains one of the illest beats ever. One would think the beat is almost better suited for a vocal track, but it seems impossible to imagine LP rapping over it, so it fits. Read this carefully: DO NOT SKIP THIS TRACK! It may be an instrumental DJ track, but it's one of the best I've ever heard. Believe it.
What's this? Yet another godlike track on this album? Yeah, this next track is another classic. As a matter of fact -- and I know this is a loaded statement -- I believe that every song on this album is top-notch, no joke. It's more or less perfect despite the obviously inferior recording equipment, which isn't even bad at all on this album. Anyway, this next track is a banger called "Peace Is Not The Word To Play". This track explores a very interesting topic that is still relevant today. The word "peace" is often used to say goodbye, for those not exactly up on modern slang, and in that meaning is often said to someone by their killer right before they get smoked. It is interesting to note that the two DJs, Sir Scratch and K-Cut, supposedly produced this track. Large Professor urges the youth of Urban America to stop misusing this word. Actually though, the song is more about not doing the things that would lead to misusing the word, i.e. shooting someone. The album version of this song only contains one verse followed by a lot of scratching. Some may be turned off by this fact, but remember that Eric B. & Rakim's classic track "Paid In Full" follows the same format. Plus, just check out these lyrics. The outro of the track (right before the scratching) pretty much sums up LP's thoughts on the matter:
The incorrect usage of the word "peace" has got to cease Stop frontin (Stop frontin) Stop frontin, like you know what I'm saying And on that note, I'll leave you with this
After that song comes what is possibly my favorite track on the album, the incredible "Vamos A Rapiar". The title is supposed to translate to "Let's Rap" from Spanish, as I speak Spanish fairly well and LP says this phrase at the end of every verse. However, I honestly doubt that in ANY Spanish-speaking country, "rapiar" is a word. And if it is, I doubt even more that it actually means "to rap". But I guess I'll ask D about that later. :blues:
Anyway though, the song is ill. In the background is Joe Fatal, the Puerto Rican DJ and sometimes-rapper who was once affiliated with Tragedy Khadafi during his Intelligent Hoodlum days. Fatal, who was (at the time) one of the Large Professor's best friends, sounds like a sportscaster, narrating in Spanish during the hook. This added effect makes you think you're listening to a b-ball game or something. Add to that the the fact that the beat that sounds vaguely like stock "sports music" from games, and you wonder if this was in fact LP's intention. Anyway, no more words need to be said, just listen to the track. I can't explain why it's my favorite, it just is.
The next song on this godlike album is called "He Got So Much Soul (He Don't Need No Music)". This is another bragging track, where Large Pro essentially just talks about how much soul he has. In the mind of LP, he is the best at rapping, dancing, and just all around being cool. LP challenges all other MCs, DJs, and groups to go up against him. As far as he's concerned, he has the illest fade, the illest shades, the illest mustache, the illest chinstraps, the illest look in his eyes. Or...something like that.
Ah yes, the track you've all been waiting to hear about. The famous track that started the careers of two rappers: the sexualized funnyman Akinyele, and, much more importantly, a man then known as Nasty Nas.
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, this next banger is none other than the album's posse cut, "Live At The Barbeque". This track that started the career of one Nasir Jones, who in just 4 short years would release the monumental Illmatic, an album praised as the Holy Grail of Hip Hop by both fans and critics alike. Not coincidentally, Large Pro was heavily involved in that album as well. This man just seems to have a gift to craft classics. Anyway, this track is also classic, but is not even close to the best track on the album. It also features a verse from the aforementioned Joe Fatal and, of course, the Large Professor. All four emcees kill it, but it is unquestionably Nas's opening verse that makes the song pure fire. Even people who haven't heard this album know of this verse, most likely from the intro to Illmatic, where part of it is featured. Check it out:
Street's disciple, my raps are trifle I shoot slugs from my brain just like a rifle Stampede the stage, I leave the microphone split Play Mr. Tuffy while I'm on some Pretty Tone shit Verbal assassin, my architect pleases When I was twelve, I went to Hell for snuffin Jesus Nasty Nas is a rebel to America Police murderer, I'm causin hysteria My troops roll up with a strange force I was trapped in a cage and let out by the Main Source Swimmin in women like a lifeguard Put on a bulletproof, nigga I strike hard Kidnap the President's wife without a plan And hangin niggas like the Ku Klux Klan I melt mics till the sound waves over Before steppin to me you'd rather step to Jehovah Slammin emcees on cement Cause verbally, I'm iller than a AIDS patient I move swift and uplift Your mind, shoot the gift when I riff in rhyme Rappin sniper, speakin real words My thoughts react, like Steven Spielberg's Poetry attacks, paragraphs punch hard My brain is insane, I'm out to lunch, God Science is dropped, my raps are toxic My voicebox locks and excels like a rocket
After that godlike display of lyrical skills, we come to a track called "Watch Roger Do His Thing". As you'd probably guess, this song is about a guy named Roger. Roger is a black youth from the inner city who chills with his friends and smokes weed like a lot of teenagers do. However, he's also very smart, and eventually builds up his success until he becomes essentially a superstar. This is all without going to college, by the way. Roger also goes back to his old neighborhood, and instead of acting like a bigshot, encourages kids that they too can be like him and obtain success through legal means. This song is truly inspirational, and reminds me of my boy Panic who did something very similar through hard work and determination. Wise words from the Large Professor.
The last track is "Just A Friendly Game Of Baseball (Remix)". Apparently this version was a tribute of sorts to A Tribe Called Quest, another ill rap group around that time. Listen to their shit too, if you've been living under a rock for the past 18 years or so. The remix isn't much different from the original, other than the usage of different samples and beat. Both mixes are good, however, so don't skip this one.
Not much else needs to be said about this album. It's just unfortunate that it was a one-off deal, since the Large Professor left the group about a year or so after its release (and the release of a few other singles) and was replaced by a nobody named Mikey D. In any case, LP was able to use his experience on this album to further parlay his talents into future endeavors, such as work on the aforementioned Illmatic. LP is truly one of the greatest producers of all time, and that should make sense considering he allegedly taught DJ Premier, the greatest hip hop producer of all time, how to sample breaks. Sir Scratch and K-Cut didn't really go anywhere after this, but they are remembered here.
So that about covers my thoughts on one of the best albums of all time. I bought my copy off eBay, and that contains some godlike bonus tracks, but at the end of the day, the core 12 tracks are all that really matters. Until my next review -- which might not be for a while -- just keep on listening to that hot shit. Peace...
As an added note, shoutouts to my people from the Vogue Crew: Big D, Marat, Mecca, AltersReality, Dayo, PDT, Headcase, Swytchblade, Killa Kirb, and Panic. WOOO!!! What is CAUSING all this?
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