Pegged as his 13th studio album [not including the Boogie Down Production classics and other collaborative projects] KRS-One just released The World is MIND and it’s better than even his most loyal fans could imagine. It’s been over 30 years since KRS and MC Shan battled over whether QB or BX was the monument of Hip Hop, and following DJ Scott La Rock’s fatal death soon after, KRS would soon become the genre and culture’s most dedicated teacher; kicking unlimited knowledge and wisdom to an era of golden age rappers who would soon follow behind him.
Nonetheless KRS-One is certainly a pioneer and one of the most well respected, thus without any further introduction needed, The World is MIND is critiqued track by track below and it’s definitely worth a listen.
Show Respect
“Criminal minded, spiritual minded, political minded, my lyric you can time it, watch how I rhyme it, spit, shine, and grind it, autograph and sign it, no corporation behind it, free man, free MC, and free-minded” Produced by Melody the opening track on the album is pure bars and it’s super tough 💪💪💪
Same Shit
“Open your brain, the Klan and the cops are the same, slave quarters, blocks and prison blocks are the same, they only separated by name... Wall Street and Main Street, really that's the same street, drug talk, corporate talk, really that's the same speak, boom bap, boom bip. really that's the same beat, a throne or a chair of your own, really that's the same seat” Produced by DJ Desue this is heavily conscious record that’s political yet hardly politically correct, “Democrats, Republicans, it’s all the same shit”... though some would say it’s not that simple there’s still a lot of truth in those words that people need to hear. KRS-One really is one of Hip Hop’s forefathers and one of it’s greatest teachers, and here over 30 years later he’s still in the classroom kicking knowledge like he never left.
Keep Clicking ft Shai
“The indigenous original bare foot man, look man, you see what I’m spittin you see how it’s written, South Africa keep on clickin” A tribute to South Africa that’s full of rich history and great tradition. Even still as far as preference goes it’s not a record I’d recommend.
Out For Fame
“Back in the past when we made our own fashion, aerosol art it revealed what we imagined” A tribute to the art of graffiti, this one is exceptionally crafted by producer Młody and KRS himself, one of the many standouts on the project.
My Dreams
“Just when I thought my dreaming had stopped, in came DJ Scott La Rock, just when I thought my dreaming had finished, Teddy Ted & Special K said let’s spin this” RIP Scott La Rock! Produced by DJ Trez (with an instrumental that reminds me of a Cormega Testament/LegalHustle instrumental) this is a trip down memory lane and it’s definitely a heater 🔥🔥🔥 the essence of Hip Hop at it’s finest.
Fuck This ft K.O.D.
“This boom bap beat is made from my dude Młody in Poland” not 🚮 but it’s ultimately album filler, even though due to the simplicity of the hook I can see KRS try to force this on the crowd in the near future.
Don’t Ever Stop ft Janiece
“Never let em in your heart, never let em give you money, never let em help you start, never let em play you funny” SMH another one produced by Młody and this is more contort-your-face-nod-your-head boom bap Hip Hop at it’s absolute finest. FIRE 🔥🔥🔥
RAW B.E.A.T.
“I'm expressing the talent that God gave me, divinity, the devil on every level is jittery, no I'm not the average emcee, I'm the epitomy, think not, come to my spot see my delivery, then count back thirty years, lyric artillery” SMH MORE 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥this one I can see him perform in concert and to good results
You Ain’t Got Time
“The US President he’s endorsed by the Klan” All Facts… knowledge is power and it needs to be heard, from start to finish this is 2 minutes and 56 seconds of gospel truth, highlighted by the excerpts from Malcolm X that are blended within the record perfectly.
No Problem
“Believe in yourself man I’m speaking a lesson, instead of stressing over depression just count up your blessings” I can do without the lackluster hook but there are 💎💎💎 up and down this record, Pay attention!
You Like Me
“As long as I’m dancing, acting, or rapping, walking around like, I don’t know what’s happenin, you like me… if I’m talking about drinking and nothin bout thinking, as long as I’m high and I never ask why, you like me…. But the second I start with the state of the economy, black leadership, black guards and black sovereignty, that’s when you can’t seem to follow me, confusion, you feel like you losing, I’m no longer amusing…” Mannnnnnnn 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 peep the delivery on this record… smh sucka MC’s and mumble rappers take notes! Best record on the project and a manual on how to use a microphone correctly.
Put Ya Ones Up
"Why these people always gotta front, why people can't be real from the jump, I'mma be blunt so inhale it, my flow is like the ocean, I sail it, metaphoric oceanic flow, run it, like the ocean I'mma stay current, from the first time I rhyme they spun it” Acapella raps and I could do without it but I’ll let the legend do his thing
Keep Flowin’
“I represent leadership, readership, teachership, speakership, culture keeper cause the culture we're keeping it, truth I'm speaking it, critics want to weaken it, printing gossip and bullshit and the people believing it” A shame that the hook is so terrible (and it’s really bad) because the 💎💎💎 on this are everlasting. KRS was cookin in these verses but he definitely needed another hook.
Hip Hop Speaks From Heaven
“See these saints are great, but they’re not where my heart be, when I call on the angels I’m calling on Marcus Garvey, I’d rather call on Bob Marley… why call upon the spirits of oppressors, when you can call your own angels when you under pressure, see when it comes to Hip Hop here’s the lesson, start praising your own people Hip Hop speaks from Heaven” A tribute to Hip Hop’s fallen soldiers, RIP to all the legends their names live on through music! [even though KRS mentioned the wrong Beastie Boy, he owned it and promised to revise it so we keep it moving]
The World Is MIND
“You create your reality, the world is mind” Produced by Paul Laffree the title track off the album is both creative and thought provoking, ultimately the perfect culmination to a very cohesive project.
Let’s get right to it, KRS-One might’ve just dropped a debatable classic, and honestly for this to happen in 2017 is groundbreaking to say the least. Let’s keep in mind that in music there’s no reason to suggest our best artists inevitably fall off, when it’s just as likely that they’ll continue to grow and evolve, and if age comes wisdom KRS very well might be the most intelligent MC to ever touch a mic [disregarding his Afrika Bambaataa comments on Drink Champs which we’ll leave alone]. Nonetheless it’s only right that we pay respects and support the real, The World is MIND is one of the best surprises in recent memory.