I still remember the first time I saw Bernardo Bertolucci’s epic movie The Last Emperor. The way the tragic story of China’s Last Emperor Pu Yi unfolded through rich storytelling, beautiful cinematography, and sweeping musical arrangements kept me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. Not a small feat considering the movie was well over three hours long and I was only twelve at the time.

So for an emcee with Jamal Gray’s ability to turn words and phrases into stunning visuals and vivid narratives, choosing the name The Last Emperor only seems appropriate. One of the first acts signed to Dr. Dre’s Aftermath label, TLE’s hallmark has always been the immaculate union of prosaic imagery and storytelling edged with razor-sharp battle verses. Like his namesake, Last Emperor came of age in an era that seemed to no longer embrace cultural tradition -- while an emcee of his caliber should have been at the forefront of any label, at Aftermath he was forced to take a back seat to the grooming of an infinitely more marketable up-and-coming emcee named Eminem.

After bouncing from Aftermath’s second string to Rawkus, where he dropped the “C.I.A. (Criminalz In Action)” single with KRS-ONE and ex-Rage Against The Machine frontman Zach De La Rocha, The Last Emperor would eventually find a home at Raptivism Records and lay down his new debut full-length LP, Music, Magic, Myth. With this new album, The Last Emperor proves that he certainly deserves his title by penning skilled and commanding verses over some truly dynamic arrangements from the likes of Ayatollah, Da Beatminerz, and Prince Paul.

The Last Emperor simply leaves no room to doubt his battling ability on Music, Magic, Myth. In song after song he brings lyrical heat, torching the mic with smoldering invective and flammable metaphors. He kicks things off with “Who’s That,” a banging jump off track juxtaposing old world strings with modern grinding synth distortions and stomping drums. Lyrically, the Emperor trumpets his arrival with sharp battle rhymes professing he’s “so underground it’s like I’m sub-human. On “Tiger Trail,” Emp’s verses and less gravelly-voiced DMX-reminiscent choruses embrace the raw aggression of the big jungle cats with his lyrics, his animosity contrasting the serene flute and oriental strings weaving the silken musical backdrop. The feral theme is repeated for “Animalistic,” TLE cleverly transforming Manimal-style into a variety of wild animals in order to take down legions of sucker emcees.

But TLE is not all claw and fang on the mic; he is just as skilled in crafting meditative compositions as he is at denigrating his competition. The artist makes a special dedication on “Single Mother, ”showing support for those women raising children on their own. Ethereal vocals and sparkling bells set the mood as Emperor speaks on the subject from personal experience, “as I fell asleep for the first time/ little did I know you were showing me my first rhyme/ I want to thank you for showing me/ how to be a man and turn my pain into poetry.” “Karma” allows the rapper to continue flexing his storytelling chops, the Emperor narrating three separate tales illustrating life’s cyclical nature over a brilliantly reflective Ayatollah track. The last verse in particular is a charming tale about an elderly couple whose love has lasted through the years.

And without question, the most moving piece on the album is his duet with the late Poetic of the Gravediggaz on “One Life.” In this heartrending piece, The last Emperor and Poetic both ruminate on the nature of life and death, using Poetic’s cancer diagnosis as the catalyst for the discussion. The fact that this is actually the last track recorded by the artist before succumbing to the disease only makes the song more heartbreaking. With somber strings, rain sound effects and the lamenting vocals of Canadian wonder Esthero’s setting the mood, Poetic remembers the night the pain became too great to overlook:

“Paralyzed on the bathroom floor by pain/ last month I endured/ But now I can't ignore/ Feels like rail road spikes being stuck in my liver/ And my dying eyes crying, body starting to shiver/ Crawl upstairs from the basement calling my sister/ ‘Dawn, help me, I ain't feeling too healthy’/ Stomach walls burning, head spinning and turning/ Waiting for the EMS 3:10 in the morning/ Rush me to Emergency screaming like a newborn/ The pain's too strong, maybe my soul’s trying to move on…”

Unquestionably, Music, Magic, Myth is a fantastic album that speaks to twenty-something Hip-Hoppers who grew up playing way too many video games, watching way too many cartoons, and listening to waaaaay too much rap music. Thankfully, 18 solid tracks of lyrical fury just aren’t enough for TLE. Included is a bonus disc with three additional tracks, including Last Emperor’s 1998 Marvel comics vs. Hip-Hop underground hit “Secret Wars I,” its slower, less appealing sequel, as well as a song featuring TLE ripping the mic over the same Beatminerz track that KRS-ONE stomped the raw poop out of Nelly with last year.

Unlike his cinematic counterpart, The Last Emperor refuses to wall himself away from a modern world than no longer values the traditional aspects of his culture. TLE presses it into CDs and wax and shows you what you’ve been missing. You’ll be better for the experience.

Track Listing
01. Intro
02. Who’s That?
03. Some Love, Some Hate
04. Tiger Trail
05. Prisoner
06. Karma
07. One Life feat. Poetic & Esthero
08. Meditation
09. Animalsitics
10. The Underground
11. The Block Party feat. Cocoa Brovas
12. Do You Care?
13. Shine
14. The Incredible Man
15. Let’s Ride
16. Hold On
17. Single Mother
18. The Great Pretender

Bonus Disc
01. Secret Wars I
02. Secret Wars II
03. Here We Are


Recommended: Yes

Great Music to Play While: Driving