Inspectah Deck: "The Manifesto" Review

Age187
Age187 Members Posts: 72
edited March 2010 in Reviewably Incorrect
Inspectah Deck is one of the most underappreciated rappers in the game. He's the most lyrically explosive member of the Wu-Tang Clan, which is saying quite a lot. But he's never had much solo success. Most of his albums have been pretty good, but they haven't been great. Deck has mellowed out quite a bit since his early days, and his albums reflect a more world-weary artist that many of his fans expect. Manifesto follows about the same lines - Inspectah Deck is quietly determined and as skilled as ever. But too often, it feels like he's coasting on his lyrical talent; there's a feeling that he's settled for good music and stopped trying, or caring enough, to make great music. In many ways, Manifesto is an album from a working-class rapper dealing with an early mid-life crisis.

I was chained in the dungeon: bangin, bustin
came from nothin but hunger pains and suffering ("Tombstone Intro")


Manifesto is the product of a survivor. In many ways, it's post-gangsa rap: Inspectah Deck is clearly years removed from what he chooses to rap about. His success puts Manifesto firmly in the past tense, which keeps the album from developing an effective atmosphere. Even Deck seems removed from his darkest moments, rapping about surviving in the ghetto in "Born Survivor" and calling himself a worldwide mogul in the very next song.

What makes Manifesto successful is its lyrical skill level. Inspectah Deck remains one of the top lyricists in the game, and his raps are as vivid and personal as they've ever been. He's also not afraid to innovate. Lead single "Champion" especially stands out, with Deck rhyming words consecutively, rather than just at the end of bars. But Deck isn't jsut a rhymer, and Manifesto is filled with vivid imagery and incredibly detailed narratives.

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Comments

  • Cabana_Da_Don
    Cabana_Da_Don Members Posts: 7,992 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited March 2010
  • PapaJuice
    PapaJuice Banned Users Posts: 435
    edited March 2010
    what were your favorite songs?
  • Age187
    Age187 Members Posts: 72
    edited March 2010
    Champion, Serious Rappin (w/ Planet Asia), The Neverending Story, and the Tombstone interludes.

    Guess I should've put that in the review, huh? lol...
  • chompollet
    chompollet Members Posts: 1,609 ✭✭✭✭
    edited March 2010
    Bro put this on the The Reason
  • PapaJuice
    PapaJuice Banned Users Posts: 435
    edited March 2010
    chompollet wrote: »
    Bro put this on the The Reason

    Put this in the Reason? For real?
    In the ? place where chumps don't do ? related with hip hop
    And think Jay Z and Nas are the greatest rappers ever
    Where no hip hop knowledge is withheld
    The ? place full of silent & dry comedians ? ? up
    Why? So everyone can skim and skip past the thread?
    The Reason ain't got no hip hop in it & no hip hop fans in it, just ?
    INFACT
    I don't even know no place called The Reason
  • Age187
    Age187 Members Posts: 72
    edited March 2010
    Lol, it's not that bad. People like us just gotta let 'em know.
  • The Lonious Monk
    The Lonious Monk Members Posts: 26,258 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited March 2010
    I gotta disagree with the the overall sentiment of the review. The beats weren't nearly as bad as you're making them seem. Sure there were no real bangers, but most of them were decent. I'd say the album is a 3/5 at least.
  • Age187
    Age187 Members Posts: 72
    edited March 2010
    I gotta disagree with the the overall sentiment of the review. The beats weren't nearly as bad as you're making them seem. Sure there were no real bangers, but most of them were decent. I'd say the album is a 3/5 at least.

    Beats are always the hardest to review because they're SO subjective. But I wouldn't say you disagree with me too much, 3/5 and 2.5/5 aren't all that far apart. I think most of the beats are "decent." But some of them aren't and like you said, no real bangers. So it gets a little below average on that count IMO.

    Still, to each his own.